


Song of Forever

by Sorin



Series: A Song of Two Worlds [4]
Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Anal Sex, Banter, Blow Jobs, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Flashbacks, Fluff, M/M, Male Miqo'te (Final Fantasy XIV), Memories, Nightmares, Questioning, Reminiscing, Slow Burn, Starlight Celebration (Final Fantasy XIV), Teasing, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings, Wet & Messy, Wheeeee, background development, but for now it's mostly just fluff, drives this straight off the rails, headcanons abound, more tags will be added as I go!, there will be a plot I SWEAR
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-16
Updated: 2019-12-18
Packaged: 2020-10-19 16:49:19
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 65,593
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20660495
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sorin/pseuds/Sorin
Summary: Yhen’a sighed and tossed the quill aside.  This wouldn’t make a song fit for anyone save himself, and honestly, it wasn’t a story he felt like sharing.  None of this was anything he felt like sharing, but since his heart had been forcibly torn from his chest and put on display for everyone, he had to at least answer a few questions… much as he truly didn’t want to.  He glanced irritably at the door to his suite, wondering if anyone was hovering outside and waiting for him to emerge.  So far as he knew the Exarch hadn’t woken yet, which meant none of them could return to the Source… though he, himself, wasn’t going back without having a long talk with G’raha Tia.(chapter 8: Starlight is here!)





	1. Stay

**Author's Note:**

> As mentioned before, this is the start of the chaptered work that will detail Yhen'a's time on the First. I'm not really wanting to re-write all of canon, so certain events will appear in flashbacks as they come up. This is mainly an exercise in making sure I keep up with my writing, and in hopefully providing some entertainment:)
> 
> Rating is M for now but seriously have you met me :| it'll be E before you know it.

_Ruby eyes, one last glance, one last smile before the doors slammed closed._

_Ruby eyes, one last smile, holding the staff before him to lead himself to his own death._

_Ruby eyes, filled with tears upon hearing his name…_

Yhen’a sighed and tossed the quill aside. This wouldn’t make a song fit for anyone save himself, and honestly, it wasn’t a story he felt like sharing. None of this was anything he felt like sharing, but since his heart had been forcibly torn from his chest and put on display for everyone, he had to at least answer a _few_ questions… much as he truly didn’t want to. He glanced irritably at the door to his suite, wondering if anyone was hovering outside and waiting for him to emerge. So far as he knew the Exarch hadn’t woken yet, which meant none of them could return to the Source… though he, himself, wasn’t going back without having a _long_ talk with G’raha Tia.

He rose from the desk and paced to the window, looking out over what he could see of Lakeland and smiling a little bit despite his sour mood. It was a beautiful evening- the sunset turned the sky the most beautiful array of warm colors, and it was a sight that he might have once taken for granted… no longer, certainly. He lifted a hand to his chest and bowed his head, then turned toward the door. Nothing would get him to G’raha’s side faster than actually leaving his room, but it was such a daunting task- even for a bard, whose lifeblood was the entertainment of others. He normally didn’t mind being the center of attention and, indeed, tended to thrive on it, but as the Warrior of Light- Darkness, now- he had _no_ privacy, and this was something that _required_ it.

An idea sprang to mind, then, and he tilted his head before going to his armoire and rummaging around inside. He tended to have a fairly extensive wardrobe, finding that there were lots of various armors and such that he liked and that he wasn’t reliably able to settle on just one, and _that_ was going to benefit him now, Thancred’s teasing be damned. He wasn’t the _only_ bard who liked being well-dressed, and with Yhen’a being one in both the literal and metaphorical sense, he was going to take advantage of it. He eventually came up with a hooded cloak- simple, not too elaborate, something that wouldn’t catch too much attention… or so he hoped. He flicked his ears and sighed, then swung the cloak over his shoulders and drew it up over his head. G’raha had managed with his flattened for a century, Yhen’a could manage for the five minutes it would take him to get inside the Tower- and thus he walked back to the window and waited, with no small amount of impatience, for the sun to finish setting and for the stars to come out.

When he judged the hour late enough he walked away from the armoire and grabbed his small harp, then paused and pushed the hood back to press an ear to the door of the suite. Upon hearing nothing he slowly pushed the door open and peeked out, and whether it was divine providence or simply the fact that it was late, there was nobody there. He exhaled in relief and pulled the hood up, then closed the door firmly behind himself and headed into the hallway, jogged down the stairs, and slipped out of the Pendants without attracting any attention.

The Crystarium was by nature a busy place, and Yhen’a was well aware of that as he made his way to the Tower. Luckily, dark as he was and with his hood up, he was able to blend in fairly easily- and he’d _almost_ made it in when he saw two familiar figures walking down the steps leading to the Dossal Gate. He sighed, resigned, and stopped at the bottom of the stairs- then pushed his hood back, flicking his ears vigorously as he did so. He pushed unruly silver hair back from his face, and smiled a little when they both recognized him- Ryne smiled brightly and waved, and Thancred followed her at a more sedate pace as she raced down the stairs.

“Yhen’a!” she called happily. “Your timing is good- the Exarch is awake!”

Yhen’a’s eyes widened, and he hurried up the stairs to meet them. “Is he all right?” he asked, looking from her to Thancred and then back again.

“We… assume so.” Ryne put her hands behind her back and bit her lip. “He won’t let any of us in to see him, so we thought we’d fetch you and see if you might have more luck.”

Those words hit him like a fist to the gut, and he frowned, looking up at the Tower. It didn’t surprise him much that G’raha didn’t want visitors; he’d taken a grievous wound on Mt. Gulg- both physical and emotional- and then had been further injured and spent during his time with Emet-Selch. Stubborn and prideful were two words that had described him well in his youth, which was a strange thing to think seeing as how it had only been a handful of years for Yhen’a… but the Exarch wasn’t G’raha Tia, not entirely. He’d spent the better part of the day struggling to reconcile the two and largely failing, presuming that he wouldn’t be able to until he actually had a chance to speak with him alone. Yhen’a still struggled to grasp the truth in its entirety, though he’d known all along who was behind the mask- at least in essence, if not in his own remembrance.

“Well,” he said, shrugging, “I’ll give it a try. I’m stubborn enough to plant myself and not move.”

Thancred studied him for a moment, then looked at Ryne and nodded. “Go on,” he said. “I’ll catch up.” The rogue looked back at him once Ryne had continued on down the stairs. “You’ve got a better chance than the rest of us,” he said quietly. “… but why didn’t you tell us who he is from the start?”

Yhen’a’s ears drooped and he rubbed at the back of his head. “I didn’t know what he was playing at. If he’d be willing to lie to _me,_ of all people- and trust me, I asked him point blank- he must have had a good reason.” He scowled faintly. “Now that I know what that reason was, I wish I’d pushed him.”

“Don’t we all.” Thancred sighed and raked a hand through his hair, then shrugged irritably. “I didn’t have the chance to meet him before, even though he was one of the Students- Minfilia may have known him, for all the good that does us now.” He paused, then gave Yhen’a a worried look. “… are you up for this?”

Yhen’a flashed him a grin that showed a bit of fang. “What am I if not always up for a challenge?” he replied. Thancred’s lips quirked, but his eyes spoke of the worry that remained even so. “Don’t worry. I’ll figure it out, and I won’t leave until I’m satisfied.”

Thancred nodded slowly. “All right,” he said. “Don’t forget that _you_ aren’t fully recovered yet, Yhen’a. If he refuses to see you, don’t sleep on the floor.”

“I’ve slept on worse places than the floor of the Crystal Tower.” Yhen’a smiled back and nodded. “Thank you, Thancred. I’ll send word once I have something of substance.”

“Very well.” Thancred paused, then put a hand on his shoulder and headed past him, jogging down the stairs to catch up with Ryne.

Yhen’a watched him go, then exhaled and headed up the stairs. He nodded to the gatekeeper, who smiled at him and nodded in response. “So,” he said, “it sounds like I’ll have to cool my heels for a while…”

“I’m sorry, my lord,” the guard said sympathetically. “The Exarch said that only you were permitted to enter, but nobody was to send for you or otherwise call your attention- not even the Scions.”

Yhen’a opened his mouth to reply, then blinked. “Wait, what?” he asked dumbly.

“Shall I admit you?” The man smiled knowingly, and when Yhen’a nodded in bemused silence, he pushed the doors open and sent him through.

Once inside the Tower, Yhen’a looked around and then sighed, putting a hand to his forehead in exasperation. “_G’raha,_” he grumbled. It was like him to make everything far more complicated than it _really_ needed to be, wasn’t it- just like with the aethersand in the very beginning. With that in mind, he sighed and headed up the stairs that would take him to the Ocular. He was familiar with Syrcus Tower, more or less- he knew there was a _whole lot_ more of it he hadn’t seen than what he had, and he noted that several branches going further in were blocked off. He recalled hearing something about monsters and other strange things roaming the halls, as well as an aethereal disturbance of some sort- he’d deal with that later, after he dealt with the Tower’s caretaker.

Upward, then, and to the large door leading into the Ocular. It had struck him as odd when he’d first seen it, seeing as how the rest of the Tower was so majestic… that a place such as this would have a simple wooden door seemed _strange,_ but resting a hand on it now, Yhen’a sighed and smiled just a little. He’d merged himself with the Tower so that he could live indefinitely… and this, perhaps, was a reminder of the simple life he’d led before. He had no idea, truly, but it sounded good to his ears. Either way, he knocked on the door and put his ear to it, then frowned when he heard nothing in response.

“Exarch?” he called, figuring he’d best not push his luck just yet. “It’s Yhen’a-…” He trailed off, then let out an impatient huff and rested both palms on the wood. “Where are you if not here?” he muttered. His ears flicked, and he looked up, letting his hands slowly drop to his sides. “Ah… you’re going to make me work for it, are you?” He sighed, then trudged back toward the stairs.

When he reached the landing where he’d bid G’raha turn back so many years ago, he paused to rest and sighed to himself, leaning against the wall and looking upward. The Tower was ridiculously huge, as Cid had observed back then- _someone clearly thought bigger was better._ Given the size of the clones he’d fought, Yhen’a agreed with the engineer wholeheartedly- they’d been anywhere from twice to four times his size, and Yhen’a wasn’t _that_ small. G’raha was at least an ilm or two smaller than he was, which had given him no end of amused glee back then- he wasn’t used to being taller than anyone save his own mother and aunts. Not for the first time he wished he’d known his birth parents- he wondered if his father was slightly built, too.

With one more glance, this time behind him, Yhen’a continued upward until he saw the stars. The Tower’s hallways gave way to the majestic courtyard at the top of the spire, or at least, the top of _one of_ the spires. Water-aspected crystals sent waterfalls flowing down from this point, filling pools and leaving the water to fall to fill yet more below. He’d fought Xande during the day and hadn’t returned to see the place at night, but looking at it now… the night sky was utterly breathtaking. He smiled a little, full glad to see it instead of the broiling Light, then turned his gaze toward the center of the courtyard. G’raha- the Exarch- stood facing Xande’s throne, no longer wearing his robes but instead an outfit that wrenched Yhen’a’s heart to see- nothing spectacular, just a soft pair of trousers and a sleeveless tunic. He was genuinely surprised the fabric had lasted that long, or maybe G- _the Exarch,_ he told himself sternly- had commissioned a new set.

Thinking of this man as G’raha Tia would get him nowhere, at least to begin with, much as he dearly wanted to.

Yhen’a took a breath and walked over to stand next to him, studying the throne as well. It was huge, _massively_ so, for a normal-sized person… and though a super-sized clone had sat on it before the Keeper had come with a challenge, he couldn’t help but wonder if a normal-sized person was meant to sit there beforehand. Perhaps, he thought absently, the people of Allag weren’t all that much smaller than the Amaurotines… which would put the throne in perspective at least a little bit better.

“A hundred long years I waited,” the Exarch said quietly, his gaze still on the throne- but he didn’t seem to see it, instead looking into the past as his tail slowly swayed behind him. “Day in and day out, searching for a way to bring you here and figuring out how I was going to care for the refugees who flocked to the safety of the Tower. I was twenty-six summers old when I landed here.”

Yhen’a hummed quietly. “Ser Aymeric wasn’t much older when he took command of the Temple Knights,” he pointed out. “Four or five turns, mayhap.”

The Exarch smiled a little. “Ser Aymeric the Blue,” he said softly. “I know his story well- his, yours, everything which was detailed in the tome called Heavensward. It’s certainly fair to say he faced far more adversity than I on his journey toward leadership… but whereas he rose through the ranks to attain it, I had it dropped on me by virtue of being the Tower’s guardian.” He glanced at him, then, pinning his ears a little. “Do not mistake my flippant words for a lack of gratitude. I love the people of the Crystarium with all my heart, ill prepared as I was to lead them… as I still feel I am, some days.”

“You’ve done a remarkable job,” Yhen’a said sincerely. “Your people adore you, ‘tis plain to see, and you adore them just as much.”

His smile widened a little, and the Exarch nodded before looking back toward the throne. “I am the last living son of the Allagan empire,” he said softly, “the last descendant there ever shall be. One day… when the Tower fully consumes me, ‘tis my hope that I may yet retain some of my humanity.”

Yhen’a raised an eyebrow. “I assume it’s not too late to sire children, if that’s what you want,” he said. “… assuming it still works.” He left the rest alone, thinking that a topic for later- one he would come back to when the road was smoother.

The Exarch hadn’t been expecting those words, and he let out an undignified snort before glancing at Yhen’a with a faint grin- ah, _there_ was the mischievous young Seeker he’d known. “Well,” he said, “I admit I haven’t done much- _any-_ research into the matter, but… that said, nay- I’m far too old to raise kits of my own, Azeyma preserve me- the very thought is exhausting.” He shook his head and gestured to the sky. “I’ll leave that to the young man slumbering on the Source, though I imagine he’ll be as reluctant as I am now.”

Ah, yes. Yhen’a crossed his arms, gazing upward and letting his mind wander. “Will he keep sleeping, now that everything is all right?”

“I don’t know.” The Exarch looked at him again, this time with a faint smile. “We are no longer the same person.”

Yhen’a nodded slightly. He knew that, and it _hurt-_ but he’d sworn back then that if there was a way to see him again, no matter what, he would take what came. “Why wouldn’t you let the others in?” he asked softly. “They’re worried about you, you know… they care about you.”

The question made him flinch a little, and the Exarch bowed his head before looking up and taking a few steps forward. “It has pained me more than you, _any_ of you, know to have been dishonest with you- even though I do not regret it. There is nothing I would not do to save your life, Yhen’a.” He paused, then turned back. “’tis true that the years have made me into a different person than I was when first we met, but not for one second did I forget you. When I woke and discovered the ruined future that took the place of what I’d hoped for…” His hands curled into fists and he turned his face away. “I cannot tell you how that felt,” he breathed. “My heart shattered into pieces, and it wasn’t until I saw your eyes looking back at me in Lakeland that I found the last piece of myself.” He smiled sadly. “This world’s future, the Source’s future, all hinged on you. That the Scions were willing to help, even after I managed to pull them here with nary a ‘by your leave’, is more of a kindness than I expected. As I told you, Alisaie in particular blistered my ears for taking her from your side- and she was the only one who spoke up to oppose me on Mt. Gulg, at least until Y’shtola revealed the truth of my plans. I… do not yet know how to face them.”

So much of that day is blurred in his memory- Yhen’a still found himself struggling to get a clear picture of what had happened. He remembered fighting Vauthry, remembered the Light… remembered the spell, crying G’raha’s name as the wind blew his cowl back. How cruel, he’d thought distantly- all that, for _this?_ “You’re a bad actor,” was all he said, glancing at him with a faint smile. “Alisaie doesn’t take chances, however.”

“Not when it comes to you, no… and nor do I.” The Exarch sighed and slumped a little, looking painfully weary, and Yhen’a hurried to him and gently put his hands on his shoulders. He looked up and smiled sadly. “I’m all right… thank you.”

Yhen’a let his breath out, then slowly wound his arms around the smaller man- and when he stiffened in surprise he nearly let go… but after just a few breaths the Exarch melted against him. With a faint smile, Yhen’a held him tighter, feeling his heart beginning to mend itself a long last. “And now?” he murmured, smiling a little at the way his ear flicked against his nose.

“Much better.” The response came soft and muffled, and the Exarch tightened his grip briefly before slowly drawing back to peer up at him. “In the end, I couldn’t let you go,” he said, his voice shaking a little. “You were all I could think of when I woke. Gods- I couldn’t even mourn you properly, there was no memorial that I could reach. I holed myself up in the Ocular for bells after I learned the truth of what happened… I could barely breathe. When I learned then that this was possible, that I could rewrite the flow of history and save your life at the cost of my own, I didn’t hesitate, not for a single second.” He smiled sadly once more. “That I am alive now is something which still baffles me, and I know I likely do not deserve such grace… but… selfishly, I…”

Feeling his heart lighten further, Yhen’a smiled softly and lifted a hand to gently press one of his ears back, making him sigh softly and tip his head into the touch. His fur was still so soft- it was too easy to give in to temptation and run his fingers over it a second time. “When I asked you about G’raha Tia, you told me you’d not found anyone by that name in the Tower.” The Exarch flinched a little, ears immediately pinning, and Yhen’a laughed quietly and smoothed his hand over them again. “Stop that, it’s distracting. … well, then- as for me… I’m convinced he’s still here, and all I have to do is find him.” He smiled whimsically. “Perhaps you’d be so good as to search with me?”

Ruby eyes widened, then the Exarch turned the same shade of scarlet and pressed his face into Yhen’a’s shoulder as the bard laughed and held him tight. “Yhen’a,” he groaned, but he was laughing a little as well- and he drew back to peer at him. “… you’re still entirely insufferable, I see.”

“Entirely?” Yhen’a grinned. “Says the man who crossed time and space to save my life- it sounds as though you’d have been better off finding someone else for the job. Ah, don’t give me that look!” He laughed and kissed him on the nose, feeling lighter than he had in years. “… even though it’s cute.”

The Exarch smiled at him even as he wrinkled his nose a little in reaction to the ticklish sensation. “I’ve changed, Yhen’a… I know that.” His smile faded a little. “When you called me by my name… that was the first time in over a century that I’d heard it spoken out loud, and I- for a brief moment, I felt _just_ like that young historian all over again. If… even if it were to take time to find him, if it were not entirely possible to do so in its entirety…”

Yhen’a smiled gently. “I know you aren’t the brat I knew back then anymore,” he said, grinning a bit as the Exarch swatted his leg with his tail and made a face at him. “Or maybe you are! … but, in all seriousness- back then, I’d like to say all I wanted was just one more night with you, but I didn’t. I wanted _all_ of my nights with you.” The Exarch’s eyes filled with tears, and Yhen’a didn’t tease him, this time- he was close to it too, and instead just brushed his lips against the corners of his eyes. “That hasn’t changed… Raha. You aren’t the only one who’s selfish.”

His breath caught, and the Exarch closed his eyes tightly and bowed his head for a few seconds. When he looked back up again, the tears spilled over. “Yhen’a, I…”

“Say you want the same,” Yhen’a whispered, drawing him a little closer. “Say you want nothing more- tell me that nothing, _nothing_ like that will part us again.” He touched their noses together. “I love you, G’raha Tia- _Exarch._ Who you were then, who you are now, all the same.” With that, the Exarch promptly burst into tears, and Yhen’a held him tightly as he clung to him, smiling helplessly. “Is that a yes?”

“Yes,” the Exarch managed, laughing and crying at the same time, “yes, you _insufferable_ Keeper- if you want me with you, if you want me to stay… who am I to refuse you?” He drew back just enough to wipe at his eyes, then smiled tearfully at him. “I love you beyond reason, beyond _sanity_\- the only place I want to be is by your side, even… even if, at times, it’s impossible.”

As much as he wanted to, Yhen’a wanted to tell him it would _never_ be impossible- but he knew better. He had to return to the Source, even though it was the very last thing he wanted. All this time spent on the First, fighting for its people, fighting for _him-_ it was no secret for whom the Warrior of Darkness fought, he’d never tried to make it one. “Well, then,” he said, “you’d better make room for me here… although at a glance, you don’t seem to be lacking.”

Something about that caught him off-guard, and the Exarch’s lips parted slightly in surprise. “You… want to stay _here,_ with me?”

Yhen’a tilted his head and flicked one of his ears. “… where else?” he finally asked, wondering if he’d missed something. “Do you want to stay with me in the Pendants, then?”

“I… I, ah…” The Exarch blushed and cleared his throat.

_Ahh._ Yhen’a smiled knowingly and kissed him on the forehead. “It’s all right. I’ll settle with coming to visit now and again.” They weren’t just Yhen’a and G’raha anymore, as they’d been back in Mor Dhona- and even then, he’d had the specter of _the Warrior of Light_ hanging over his shoulders.

“No,” he blurted, and the blush darkened as his ears quivered. “That isn’t what I meant. I am… full used to my solitude after all these years, and I fear you may get tired of me at times- I won’t want to be away from you often. I don’t- the rest, I mean…” He huffed and shook his head, and Yhen’a grinned.

“That the Warrior of Darkness and the Crystal Exarch sharing a bed being common knowledge doesn’t bother you?” he supplied, and laughed when he buried his face in his hands. “Raha, do you think there aren’t already rumors?”

“Oh, I know there are,” the Exarch said faintly, shaking his head. “Thank the gods that the people here are very respectful of my privacy- if there were to be rumors, they wouldn’t likely reach my ears directly.”

“Good,” Yhen’a said with a grin. “I’m afraid you’d give yourself away, red as you are.” He reached out and tapped him on the nose, then smoothed his hand over his ears again. “The people here love you… I think they’ll be happy to see _you_ happy. In fact, I know they are, because I’ve been told so directly.” His grin softened to a reassuring smile. “… and even when people have gotten _extremely_ drunk, nobody has tried to pry into your affairs with any of us. I think that’s telling.”

The Exarch let his breath out and then laughed helplessly, shaking his head and looking up at Yhen’a with shining eyes. “Well,” he said, “that is comforting, I promise you. To walk hand in hand with you is something I have long dreamed of, even though I told myself it wasn’t ever like to happen… to be with you, _near_ you, just as we were then- ah, the very thought fills my heart to overflowing.”

Yhen’a took his hands and gave them both a gentle squeeze- one flesh and blood, the other living crystal, the embodiment of the lengths to which he’d gone for his sake. “You aren’t alone anymore,” he said, looking him straight in the eye. “You don’t have to face everything by yourself. I’ll help you, we’ll _all_ help you.”

He looked like he might say something in return, but his lips only curved in a sweet smile for a few breaths. “Thank you,” he breathed. When Yhen’a drew him close again he went willingly, and when their lips met it felt like the entirety of the universe stopped in its tracks to suit them. The kiss was gentle and chaste, and when it broke he could feel heat in his own cheeks and thanked the Goddess for his dusky complexion- though the Exarch saw it anyway and grinned, lifting a hand to lightly trail across his cheeks. “Ah,” he murmured, “this is a look I will most certainly save for myself.”

Yhen’a couldn’t resist- he kissed him again, then once more. He was very careful, making certain not to go too fast, and though he would have _gladly_ had him underneath the stars right then, he knew that it was likely far too soon for his now-shy partner. “Do,” he replied with a warm smile, and the Exarch blushed to match him.

A few moments later, he sighed as his ears drooped a little. “It’s late,” he said, looking at Yhen’a worriedly. “You must be exhausted. Come- I’ll… I’ll show you to _our_ chambers.” His blush darkened, and Yhen’a couldn’t help but grin as a rush of giddy excitement shot through him. “Don’t say it,” the Exarch warned, cheeks tinted pink all over again.

“Say what?” Yhen’a asked innocently, flicking his ears and smiling. “I’m happy, Raha- more than I can tell you.” He paused, then grinned. “… and, you _do_ look cute right now.” The Exarch buried his face in his hands again, but his ears wiggled- he was happy, and that was all Yhen’a wanted.

After a few seconds, the Exarch dropped his hands and smiled helplessly up at him, then took his hand and gently tugged on it. He led him back down the staircase toward the Ocular, but instead of going all the way down, he turned off to the side and went down one of the many hallways that spiraled further into the Tower. “The Ocular is an excellent place to meet and speak of various and sundry,” he said, “but I wanted something all to myself- thus, I created my own set of chambers shortly after arriving. I was… still somewhat shaken and often needed to retreat for a bit at a time, and these served my purpose well.”

“You had a tent by yourself in Mor Dhona, too,” Yhen’a mused, then glanced at him and grinned. “… at least until I barged in and made myself at home. This is becoming a habit.”

The Exarch looked up at him in surprise, then fairly beamed. “It is,” he agreed, and Yhen’a found himself briefly dazzled by that smile- he’d seen it _maybe_ once or twice all those years ago, and only directed at him when he’d presented him with a basket of La Noscean oranges. He makes a mental note to fetch some back from the Source as a surprise. “So,” he continued, “that being said, the portal is right here. Hold out your hand a moment.”

Yhen’a obeyed, then blinked when the portal glowed. “What did you do?” he asked curiously.

“Well,” the Exarch said, suddenly sounding a bit shy, “I, ah… gave you a key, as it were.” Before Yhen’a could tease him- and he was about to, already grinning ear to ear- the Seeker grabbed his hand and yanked him through the portal. “Here we are,” he said, coloring just a little and flicking his ear once they were well inside. “I admit I’ve not tidied up in a bit.”

“No?” Yhen’a looked around in vague awe- the chamber was downright _cozy,_ which he hadn’t expected the Tower to be capable of. From where he was standing in the entryway, the room in front of him had piles of plush cushions and a large, overstuffed chair, a _hearth_ of all things, and books stacked nearly floor to ceiling in crystal shelves that seemed carved from the walls themselves. He walked to the hearth and knelt, then tipped his head and peered upward. “This is impressive, Raha,” he said, leaning back and looking at him in vague awe. “You _made_ all of this?”

The Exarch put his hands behind his back and smiled, nodding. “I did,” he said, “but- with magic and my own willpower. Come, there’s more.”

Somehow that didn’t surprise him, and Yhen’a rose and followed him into the room beyond- a bedchamber with another hearth and another overstuffed chair, as well as a _very_ inviting-looking bed. Yhen’a slowly walked in and looked around, then walked to the far wall and peered out. The crystal was see-through here, and he gasped a bit when he realized how high up they were. “Menphina- what happens in high winds?” he asked, taking a few steps back.

“Are you afraid of heights?” The Exarch was behind him in a flash, putting gentle, steadying hands on his shoulders. “And to answer your question, nothing- the Tower is immoveable. … as far as I know.”

Yhen’a shot him a glance over his shoulder. “That’s comforting,” he said sarcastically.

The Exarch grinned at him. “Good. Ah, one more thing… this, I presume, will be your favorite.” He smiled and took Yhen’a’s hand, then led him through a doorway into the bathroom- and when Yhen’a gasped faintly, he grinned and put a hand on his hip. “As you’ll recall, I love the water,” he said fondly, looking at the Water-aspected crystals that kept a steady stream of water flowing into one _large_ tub- easily big enough for ten people- and a smaller one as well. “One for washing, one for soaking. I admit, I indulge fairly frequently.” He colored a little and cleared his throat. “It’s easy for me to gather my thoughts here.”

Slowly, Yhen’a walked around the tubs, then looked at him with a warm smile. “This is wonderful,” he said. He paused, glancing back toward the bedroom, then looked at the Exarch as he began feeling just a little nervous. “You’re really all right with this?”

With a small smile, the Exarch nodded. “When I ascended the Tower alone, that day… I wept- I couldn’t help myself. I knew I’d broken your heart, and I’d broken my own as well, even knowing I’d done the right thing. For a little while, I hated my heritage with a ferocity I didn’t realize I had within me- all I wanted was _you._ Yhen’a- if you want to be here, I would have you nowhere else.”

Yhen’a closed his eyes briefly, then smiled at him and nodded. “I’ll bring the rest of my things gradually, then,” he said. He followed the Exarch back into the bedroom and unhooked the small harp from his back, then his bow and quiver, setting them carefully to the side. He _was_ tired, now that he thought on it, but there was more he wanted to ask before he gave way and fell asleep- but, that could be done just as easily in bed. He hesitated, then sighed and shrugged before stripping down to his smallclothes- he’d obviously not figured on staying, having been uncertain if he’d even be allowed inside, and thus hadn’t brought anything but what he was wearing and his harp to entertain himself with. He heard a soft intake of breath and looked at the Exarch curiously, then grimaced a little at his horrified stare. “Oh. … I’m, um… not quite as pretty as I was then.”

“What _happened_?” The Exarch asked, slowly walking over to him and tracing the horrific scar that ran from his shoulder to his hip on the right side of his body. “Didn’t anyone heal you?”

“They tried.” Yhen’a smiled wanly. “Didn’t the book talk about my battle with Nidhogg? I suppose Count Edmont left out the bit where I nearly got myself clawed in half.”

There was no response for a few breaths, hooded Allagan eyes gazing at the scar before slowly looking back at his own. “He did,” the Exarch said softly. “It is… hard to see you like this.”

Yhen’a turned toward him and lifted a hand to cup his cheek. “Being what I am isn’t all the tales make it out to be,” he said softly, “but, Raha- if I weren’t, I wouldn’t have met you. Don’t worry!” He smiled and winked. “Every scar is a step on the road I took to reach you here and now.”

“And thus does he begin his newest soliloquy,” the Exarch replied cheekily, but he still looked disturbed. He hesitated, then leaned up and kissed him lightly. “I will worry about you until my last breath,” he said, “and seeing as how that is likely to be a _very_ long time from now, there’s no use struggling against it. You’ll have to forgive me for it.”

“I’ll not stop you from getting a better look,” Yhen’a said with a mischievous grin, which earned himself a shove onto the bed- he yelped as he landed on the mattress, then groaned faintly and stretched. “Oh, by the Twelve, I may _never_ get up again,” he mumbled. “What is in this mattress, cotton bolls?”

The Exarch chuckled. “No,” he said, “at least, not to my knowledge. When I adopted Lyna, she of course had her own rooms- and still does, should she choose to use them.” He flopped down next to Yhen’a and smiled at the ceiling. “I realized that trying to wedge myself into a crib with a wailing toddler was ill-advised despite being small enough to fit with relative ease- I feared I’d never be able to straighten my back again. Thus, I had this commissioned, seeing as how she was old enough to roll away from any pillows or blankets that might cover her face while she slept, and when she had bad dreams we would inevitably wind up here.”

Yhen’a smiled warmly. “That’s truly sweet,” he murmured, yawning a little. “I’d wondered about that… and I want to hear the story, when I’m able to stay awake through all of it.” He looked at him curiously. “… do you sleep?”

“Yes and no.” The Exarch smiled at him, red hair fanned out on the pillow. “I don’t have to, certainly, but I like to. It… makes me feel more human, though I know it is somewhat of a delusion on my part. Otherwise, I do have to be still awhile and meditate to put my thoughts in order- and sleeping is far more pleasant.”

“Raha.” Yhen’a rolled onto his side and took the Exarch’s left hand, then settled it on his chest, covering it with his own. “… you feel your heartbeat?” When he nodded, the Keeper smiled at him. “That’s proof enough that you’re as human, as _alive,_ as the rest of us.” He yawned again, then wrapped his arm around him and nestled himself close to his side. He’d not really realized how _exhausted_ he was. “I’m glad to be here with you,” he murmured.

The Exarch turned toward him and drew the blankets up, then put the lights out with a quick gesture. “I’m glad you’re here,” he said softly, “more than I can say. I’ll make certain you aren’t bothered until you’re ready to face the world again.”

Yhen’a chuckled wearily. “That may be awhile,” he said, yawning again. “Mm…” He honestly had no idea how long it had been since he was this comfortable, but he had a sneaking suspicion that it had been the few bells he’d spent with G’raha in his arms the last day he’d seen him… and he smiled sleepily as he held on tighter. “G’night,” he murmured.

“Rest easy, Yhen’a.” The Exarch held him close and hummed a soft, soothing melody under his breath- and with a soft sigh, the Keeper felt himself drift off to sleep… and prayed, briefly, that he would have no nightmares to interrupt this perfect peace he’d found.


	2. Come Home Soon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Though he doesn't particularly want to leave G'raha behind, Yhen'a has things to do on the Source that he can't neglect- and he begins to wonder whether or not it really is worth it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh hey you get two from me in one day, that's what happens when I write concurrently :D;;
> 
> I am trying REAL HARD to keep each chapter between 6k and 7k words because I realize I can get Real Wordy, I DO, and I know it is a lot to keep up with :D; so I think more chapters with fewer words will be easier on the eyes.
> 
> That said, thanks to everyone who's supported this with kudos, comments, or even just dropping by to read it- Yhen'a was my very first WoL (before Sorin, even) and it's been fun to bring him back!

When he woke the following morning, Yhen’a was vaguely disoriented. His bed in the Pendants was comfortable enough, but not quite like this, and there was someone warm tucked against him, an arm around his waist and a tail draped over his legs- _did I seriously bring someone back-?_

Blinking his eyes open and seeing the inside of the Tower was _not_ what he’d immediately expected. Everything came back to him all at once, then, and he let out a breath, looking at the sleeping form of the man he’d loved for so long. A slow smile curved his lips and he closed his eyes again, deciding that he could _very_ easily stay right where he was for a very long while indeed. He yawned sleepily and stretched a bit, then rolled onto his side and buried his face in the Exarch’s soft hair. The color was more muted than he recalled- G’raha Tia had fiery red hair, at least in his memory, and the Exarch’s was… calmer, maybe, which he supposed made sense given that he was as well. The tail that wound itself around one of his legs as its owner grumbled a little at his movement was the same muted red fading to white at the tip, but soft as anything- just as he remembered- and he pressed a little closer and breathed him in, reassuring himself that this was real… that he wasn’t going to lose him today.

The Exarch sighed a little and tipped his head up, soft lips trailing against the line of his jaw. “Yhen’a,” he said quietly, his voice low and rough- he’d not quite woken entirely either, and in the space between sleeping and the waking world, it was very easy to become disoriented. He pressed closer, and Yhen’a’s blood sang bright and tempting- it took _real_ effort to gently untangle himself from him, earning a whine in return that made him smile fondly. He wasn’t going to take advantage- not _ever_.

Masking the gentle motion with a luxurious stretch and a yawn, Yhen’a propped himself up on one arm to smile down at his somewhat disgruntled partner. “Good morning, Raha,” he said warmly.

The Exarch pushed his face into the pillow for a few breaths, then peeked at him with a shy smile. “Yhen’a… good morning- for a moment I wasn’t sure if I was dreaming or not.”

“Do you dream about me often?” Yhen’a teased gently, reaching out to brush his fingers through the loose hair that framed the Seeker’s face.

Burying his face in the pillow again, the Exarch’s tail gently whapped against his legs as it lashed back and forth. “What have I done,” he began in a muffled voice, “to deserve such a-”

“Clever, handsome, heroic lover?” Yhen’a interrupted, and he laughed happily as the Exarch shoved himself up and pounced on him, pushing him onto his back on the mattress and holding him by his wrists. “That _is_ what you were going to say, isn’t it?” he asked playfully.

Bright red eyes gazed back at him from ilms away, and though their owner was blushing that same color, he _was_ smiling. “Something like that,” the Exarch agreed. He paused, then pressed a soft kiss to the corner of Yhen’a’s mouth. “To answer your question, cheeky as you are- yes, I do. I always have.” He paused, then blushed a bit more and quickly moved back, letting go of Yhen’a’s wrists.

Yhen’a smiled and reached up to take his hands, lacing their fingers and pressing their palms together. “I dreamed of you, too,” he admitted. They were almost always pleasant dreams, ones he didn’t want to wake from- some would leave him curled into a tight ball as he chased after the remnants of it, begging it to come back, come _back-!_ He took a breath, then squeezed the Exarch’s hands gently. “I’m glad… _very_ glad, that I woke up and found you here with me.”

Ah, how those words pleased him, and how he _smiled-_ Yhen’a wanted to see more of that look on his face, more of that selfsame joy in his eyes. “That you didn’t forget me is gift enough,” the Exarch said, his voice quiet and _just_ this side of shy. “… that you still think of me fondly- ah…”

“Of course I do.” Yhen’a squeezed his hands again, then drew them close so he could press a kiss to each palm before lacing their fingers together once more, expression becoming serious. “After what we shared- you thought I would forget you?”

The Exarch smiled sadly. “Selfish as I admit to being, I would never, ever have wished a life of solitude on you- and that isn’t based on my own experience, either. I knew I wasn’t going to see you again, and I wanted…” He closed his eyes and let a slow, shaky breath out and then tried again. “I wanted you to find someone who would love you as much as I did. You deserve that and much more.”

Yhen’a’s throat tightened and he shook his head slightly, taking his right hand and gently pressing it to his heart. “You _quite literally_ defied time and space for me,” he said, his voice a little rough. “Who else would love me like that?” The only other person who had come close, he reflected, had died- it seemed that loving him was dangerous, in the end.

“Someone would have.” The Exarch shook his head slightly. “I’m sure of it. You’re an amazing man, Yhen’a… despite being an occasional pain the arse.”

Despite himself, Yhen’a burst out laughing. “The prim and proper Crystal Exarch allows such words to pass his lips? I think the entirety of the Crystarium would stop and stare to hear you talking like that.” When the Seeker grinned back at him, he pulled him down and hugged him tight, earning a soft, surprised sound. “Ah, but- that’s how I remember you best, teasing me and challenging me. Menphina help me, Raha, there’s nobody who’s held a candle to you… because there’s nobody else even remotely like you in the world.” He smiled and closed his eyes, wrapping one arm around him and lifting the other to stroke his hair. “The love you gave me, the way I felt that night- the whole time, really… all of that, I guard jealously. There’s no way, _no_ way, I would have _ever_ forgotten you.”

The Exarch made a quiet, muffled sound and pressed his face into his hair. “I’m grateful,” he finally managed.

The two lay just like that for a long while, neither quite willing to let go. Yhen’a closed his eyes and focused on breathing evenly, on reminding himself that the past was gone and he _wasn’t_ going to lose him again, he _wasn’t,_ everything was going to be _fine._ It was past time they got to enjoy one another without anything weighing them down, and that made him think of something important. He hummed and flicked his ears against the soft pillow. “Once I return from the Source- do you want to go on that adventure you spoke of in Kholusia?”

The Exarch made a surprised sound and pushed himself up, looking at him with ears perked forward and tail swishing back and forth eagerly. “Really?” he asked.

“Really,” Yhen’a replied with a warm smile- he wasn’t going to tease him, not for this, not when he wanted it just as badly. “I want to see Norvrandt through _your_ eyes. Surely you’ve been all over?”

“No,” the Exarch replied, shaking his head. “I’ve been to several of the villages here and there, but the sin eaters were too grave a threat- I was always required here to defend the Crystarium, and I did so gladly.” His lips curved in a bright smile. “I’ll make sure we have everything we’ll need before you return, and we can go when you’re ready.”

Yhen’a grinned up at him. “I’ll be ready as soon as I step through the portal,” he said. Ah, how he’d desperately wanted to push the Exarch’s cowl back as they sat on that cliff, to take him in his arms and hold him close, tell him how dearly he loved him- to promise him that yes, they _would_ take the adventure he’d dreamed of for so many years. It’s a bit later now, but not enough to deter him- not even close. “I’ll be able to teleport back here once I’m finished, won’t I?”

The Exarch nodded. “You should be able to,” he said, “but in the event you find yourself unable… the beacon left at the base of the Tower will allow me to Call you back.” He paused, then hummed softly and rolled off of him, studying the ceiling for a second before hopping up and stretching. “I’ve an idea, but it will take some doing. For now, this will suffice.” He smiled happily, ears wiggling. “I can’t wait to be off!”

“Then I guess I should get moving,” Yhen’a said, amused. He sat up and stretched, then walked over to where he’d left his clothes and pulled them on. “Before I go, though- the others _are_ worried about you. Won’t you send for them?”

“Ah…” His ears immediately drooping, the Exarch nodded slightly. “I will. I’ve… there’s no way for me to send them back yet, that I know of- they were meant to return when I died, as were you. Seeing as how I’m still here, we’ll need to find an alternative.”

Yhen’a frowned. “An alternative that _keeps_ you alive, yes?” he asked suspiciously. “Don’t hide anything like that from me again, Raha- anything at _all_. You said you wanted to speak to me without the need for concealment.”

The Exarch smiled softly and nodded, walking over to him and taking his hands. “I did say that, and I do want to. No more concealment, Yhen’a. At present I am not planning anything which might endanger me, save leaving the Crystarium with you… but being in your capable hands, I think I’ll be just fine.”

“Says the man who battled with me through Holminster Switch and again in Kholusia,” Yhen’a replied, relaxing and smiling at him. “I wonder if I’m the one being protected?”

“Hmm…” The Exarch paused, then tipped his head and kissed him softly before taking a step back. “You always will be.” He smiled gently. “I’ll clean up and meet you in the Ocular soon.”

How Yhen’a wanted to chase after him and kiss him again, but he tempered himself and smiled back, nodding at him and flicking his ears happily. “All right. I’ll see you then.” It was that easy, then… and he smiled to himself as he left the suite, making his way back to the main staircase and then heading down toward the Ocular. Much as he didn’t want to leave him again, duty called- at least briefly. Once that was over and done with, he promised himself, he’d stay with G’raha until he absolutely _had_ to go… and he’d come back the very second he could.

It was with a great deal of enthusiasm that he began packing up his suite in the Pendants, and that was a task which kept him occupied until he donned his full armor and headed back to the Ocular with a spring in his step. He had to admit that he’d not felt this good at _all_ before- there were butterflies in his stomach, and his cheeks felt warm. This was real, _all_ of it… staying with him, sharing his rooms in the Tower, the adventure they’d planned, it was _really happening. _He fairly ran up the stairs to the Ocular, then sighed and lifted a hand in a helpless gesture when he saw everyone else waiting for him. “It looks like I’m late,” he said.

“Again,” Alisaie said fondly. “You’ll be returning home, then?” She watched him carefully, clearly looking for any sign of hesitation or worry in his expression- it bothered her that she couldn’t stay with him, and he valued that a great deal.

“Don’t worry, little sister,” Yhen’a replied, walking to stand next to her and placing a gentle hand on her head to ruffle her hair- the same color as his. “I’ll have everything mopped up and be back before you know it.”

“Let us pray the Empire hasn’t caused too much of a ruckus in your absence.” Alphinaud sighed, then looked at the Exarch and smiled. “You’re feeling better, Exarch?”

The Exarch smiled at him and nodded, flicking his ears. “I am,” he said, “though I will be some days in regaining my full strength. I plan on remaining in the Crystarium- so long as I’m here, I’ll be able to recover quickly.” He exhaled, then shook his head. “I admit I have dwelled ceaselessly on this since Yhen’a defeated Emet-Selch and extinguished the Light within himself. At that point, the Calamity would have been entirely avoided, and thus I should have disappeared.” He looked around and smiled helplessly. “You were meant to go home, at that point. I’m still here, however, which I presume can only mean I’ve written a role for myself in _this_ timeline… and, thus, I must turn my mind now to how to return you to your rightful places.”

Ryne smiled shyly and ducked her head. “I’m glad you’re still here, Exarch,” she said. “I would have been sad if _everyone_ had vanished all at once… and you’ve always been so kind to me- you deserve a chance to rest.”

“We’ve all things to do here that will keep us plenty occupied for the time being,” Alisaie pointed out. “I’ll return to Ahm Araeng, myself.”

“And I will go back to Kholusia and see if I can help in the… reorganization.” Alphinaud sighed and shook his head. “I imagine it will be a monumental undertaking, and we will likely need your help as well, Exarch.”

With a smile at all of them, the Exarch nodded. “I will do my utmost for all of you,” he said. “For now… I will send our champion home, that he may continue his work on the Source- and send for you all once he returns.”

Alisaie looked up at him with a warm smile. “Do tell Tataru that we’re all right,” she said. “I’m sure she’s utterly beside herself- it will do her good to hear it.”

“I will,” Yhen’a promised. He looked at the Exarch and flashed a cocky smile. “I’ll make sure it all gets handled quickly.”

Y’shtola gave him a fond glance, then looked at the Exarch and raised an eyebrow. “Try not to drop him in the middle of the forest this time,” she said- though her voice was still somewhat cool, it seemed that she had forgiven him for at least _some_ of it all.

The Exarch blinked, then laughed a bit nervously and blushed. “I will do my utmost,” he promised, looking at Yhen’a and smiling warmly.

One by one the Scions bid him a safe journey and then left the Ocular, and one by one Yhen’a told them to be careful and that he’d see them soon. When the door closed quietly behind the last to leave, he turned back to the Exarch and felt his stomach clench. It had been easy enough to talk about going back to the Source and knowing that he had to, and now staring it right in the face… and leaving him behind. How long would it be, he wondered? Would the worlds stay in equilibrium as they had been, or would he wait weeks? Moons?

Years?

Seeing the stricken look on his face, the Exarch slowly walked over to him and lifted his hands to frame his face. “You’ve nothing to fear, my darling,” he said softly- and the endearment warmed the Keeper from ears to tail. “For the time being the gods smile in our favor. Time should, more or less, be the same between the two worlds… perhaps a day or so difference, I should think.”

That helped, and Yhen’a closed his eyes and smiled faintly before lifting a hand to cover the Exarch’s, cool crystal that warmed beneath his touch. “I’m glad,” he said softly. “That does make it easier.” He took a breath and let it out, then flicked one of his ears before giving the Exarch a gentle kiss on the forehead. “I’ll be off, then.” It would be best on both of them to make it quick, he thought- he was _awful_ at goodbyes, and if he lingered too long it would be nearly impossible to force himself through the portal.

The Exarch smiled up at him and nodded, then walked up the stairs to the portal and lifted his staff, making it shimmer with aether. Yhen’a followed him and stopped in front of it, then smiled at him once more. “I love you, Yhen’a- come home soon.”

Yhen’a felt his cheeks warm. “I love you, too, Raha,” he murmured. “I’ll be back before you know it.” One last glance and then he forced himself to turn and slip through the portal, felt himself falling as if into an ice-cold river… and then just like that, he was standing in the Syrcus Trench, right where he’d been Called the first time. He took a slow breath and looked up at the sky, then around at the rock and crystal surrounding him. It felt almost like a dream, he thought- like he’d woken from a fantastical journey that had lasted an entire night.

Gently, he reached out and rested a hand against the crystal next to him. “Have I got a story to tell you,” he murmured, looking up and smiling slowly. “You’ll have to wait just a little while, but- it’ll be worth it.” Taking a breath, he turned his attention forward and headed out of the trench and toward Saint Coniach’s Find- and then to Revenant’s Toll, where Tataru was waiting for word of their friends. How happy Rammbroes and the others will be to hear that G’raha is awake and well on the First! Yhen’a’s lips curved in a happy smile and he took off at a jog, heading toward his friends and his home on the Source. There was work to be done, and now knowing what it felt like to have someone waiting for him to come home, well… he wasn’t about to dally around.

Tataru was thrilled to see him, and she leapt up and ran over to give him a hug. “Oh, Yhen’a- you’re back! I thought you’d be gone for so much longer! Well, what happened? Is everyone all right?”

Yhen’a crouched down and hugged her back. “Everyone’s fine,” he said with a quick smile and a nod. “Just fine, and they’ve got plenty to do. They’ve all made friends on the First- that’s where they are, where I went.” When she gave him a baffled look, he smiled sheepishly. “Let me start from the beginning…”

Once he’d finished the story, Tataru had stars in her eyes. “Just as I thought, you’re incredible as always,” she said, “but _him-_ he crossed time and space to save your life! I’ve never heard a better love story than that, and trust me, I’ve read books that would make Thancred turn bright red!”

Yhen’a couldn’t help but blush a little, but he grinned nevertheless. “Trust me, I’m already figuring out how to work it into at least one song,” he said. “In the meantime, though, I’ve got quite a bit to do before I can go back- is there anything I can do to help you while I’m here?” He flicked his ears happily- he truly liked Tataru, and he was very glad that she was pleased with his report.

“Well,” she mused, “let’s see… oh, Krile and I _do_ have a surprise for you, but it’s not quite ready yet- so you’ll have to wait a bit longer!” Tataru grinned. “You won’t even believe your eyes, I can’t wait to show you! Otherwise, I’ve been helping out at the Syrcus Trench while the lot of you have been away, and I’m helping them raise funds to continue the expedition. Rammbroes gave me the plans to make the most adorable wind-up doll- do you want to see it?”

“A doll?” Yhen’a blinked. “Why not?” He rose and watched Tataru run back to get the doll, and when she returned, he put a hand over his mouth and grinned. It looked like G’raha, right down to his mismatched eyes. “Gods be good,” he said, endlessly amused. “This was Rammbroes’ idea, then?”

Tataru nodded. “It was! It’s cute, isn’t it?” She smiled brightly. “You can keep this one, I’ve got plenty more!”

Yhen’a’s grin widened. “Thank you,” he said sincerely. He took the wind-up from her and looked it over, his expression softening as he did so. “Ah, it really is cute, isn’t it…” He looked so different now, the Keeper thought wistfully- they’d been nearly the same age, back then. He couldn’t wait to show it to him, and he laughed quietly and tucked it away into his bag. “Well, then, I’ll be off- I’ve got my linkpearl, so call me if anything comes up.”

“I will. Safe travels!” Tataru smiled and waved at him, and he smiled back before rising and stretching, then heading out of the Rising Stones.

First on his list of things to do was to visit his mother, and so he wove skeins of aether around himself and teleported to the aetheryte in the Central Shroud. She and his aunts moved around a fair amount, but he knew more or less where to find them- sometimes it took a day or two, but never more than that. Yhen’a hummed to himself as he set off down the dirt path, already thinking on the melody for the song he planned on writing. He wondered if the Exarch would like it, hoped he would- if he accomplished anything while on this journey of theirs, it would be to hear him sing with him. His beautiful voice hadn’t changed at all, and he wanted to hear him more than _anything._ Something low, then, he thought idly, something that would compliment the rich timbre- though not so low that he couldn’t sing it himself, but then again, wouldn’t it be _best_ as a duet? He smiled whimsically to himself, ears flicking happily. A duet, then, one intended for the two of them- but one which would undoubtedly find its way elsewhere, as many of his ballads had over the years.

Yhen’a found himself a comfortable spot to wait and kept humming to himself as he sketched out the notes of the song, thinking not much of it as the sun went down- being a Keeper, he loved the night and had no problems with being out in it. The Exarch, a Seeker, he’d expected to be his polar opposite- but back then, G’raha had sat up with him all hours and read while he played or composed. After he’d sealed the Tower, Yhen’a had been determined to learn to read if only to read the journals that G’raha had left behind- and so he had, though he wasn’t exceptionally good at it. He’d wanted to know what was on G’raha’s mind, and the bard had kept those journals with him like they were gold after the fact… nothing else would have worked for him. He’d read them cover to cover repeatedly, over and over again, as though something in them would have given him a clue that he’d seen their parting coming- but he’d said nothing about it. He had spoken of Yhen’a himself, of course, which made the bard blush to the tips of his ears… and even though he was gone, Menphina, it was _good_ to know someone in the world loved him for _who_ he was, not _what_ he was.

The moon was beginning to set when he heard a familiar whistle, and he tilted his head to the side before standing and whistling back. Silence, then rustling drawing closer and closer- then a slightly built woman dropped from the tree to land in front of him. “Yhen’a!” she cried, wrapping her arms around him and holding on tight. “You foolish kit, I’ve been worried sick! Where have you been?”

Yhen’a grinned and closed his eyes, hugging his mother back. “I don’t think you’d believe me if I told you,” he said, “but- I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to come visit. I’m just fine, I promise!”

Yhen drew back and looked critically at her adopted son. “You don’t look any the worse for wear,” she admitted. She paused, then tilted her head. “… you’ve taken a mate?”

Yhen’a blinked. “I- not… well, that is… complicated.” He rubbed at the back of his neck and smiled sheepishly. “Let’s talk on that later, it’s a long story. For now, how have you been? Where are Tahbe and Midhu?”

“We’ve been well, and they’re not far. As we were wandering through I heard your harp, and figured you’d come to wait.” She smiled brightly and flicked her ears. “How glad I am that you did! Come, I’ll take you to them, and we’ll settle in and eat together.”

Coming home to his mother and aunts always felt good, and leaving was never easy- even at his age, after all he’d done and seen. Yhen’a followed his mother eagerly, glad for at least a little time with them… even though, he thought with a bit of chagrin, they’d undoubtedly tease and nettle him until he came out with why he smelled so much like someone _else._ Gods, but they’d not even…

… well. Best not to think on that.

The campsite wasn’t terribly far from where Yhen’a had been waiting, perhaps a malm or two, and when the two approached he whistled softly, cheerfully- and his aunts immediately looked up at him and rose, hurrying over to hug him.

“So here you are!” Tahbe, even smaller than Yhen, leaned back and stared up at him. “… still favoring those boots that make you even taller than you already are, I see- and handsome as ever!” She smiled brightly and swished her tail, then grumbled when Midhu shouldered her aside to take her spot.

“We were worried,” the eldest sister said, nearly eye-level with him. She hugged him for a long moment, then drew back and tilted her head. “Where have you been? I don’t recognize…”

“I’ll tell you the story soon,” Yhen’a said hastily, steering the conversation away from himself and whatever potential mate they seemed to think he had laying in the wings- truthfully he had no idea if it would get that far, though he certainly wanted it to, someday… maybe even someday in the near future. They’d only just crossed the line from friendship to more than that when G’raha had sealed the Tower, and events on the First hadn’t given them much time to catch up… _yet._

Yhen drew him away from her sisters and pushed him down by the fire, then sat next to him with a smile as the others arranged themselves on the logs that had long since been dragged over. “Give the boy some space,” she chided. “Besides, I’m his mother- he’ll tell _me_ first, thank you both!”

“Certainly, _little sister,_” Midhu replied with a pointed raise of an eyebrow- but she was smiling nevertheless. “Well, we’re all curious, Yhen’a- where have you been that you disappeared for moons at a time?”

Yhen’a took a breath and looked up at the sky. “It’s hard to explain,” he finally mumbled. That he was the Warrior of Light mattered not a whit to them beyond worrying perhaps more than most about his well-being- they treated him like a person, as G’raha always had. “I was called away,” he finally said helplessly, “sort of like when I was in Doma- only… urgently. I didn’t have time to come back and tell you I’d be gone.”

Tahbe tilted her head, ears perked forward. “Called away to where?” she asked. “Is that where you met-”

“You won’t let me hear the end of this, will you,” Yhen’a interrupted with a faint groan, covering his face with his hands briefly. “All right, all right! Yes, that’s where I met him… well, in a way- it’s where I met him _again,_ the second time. It’s… been awhile since I saw him- a long while.”

Yhen studied him for a moment, then gasped faintly and shook her head. “I remember now,” she said. “That boy, the Seeker- you spoke of him when he disappeared. Is that who you’re talking about?”

Yhen’a smiled and nodded, feeling a bit of heat coming to his cheeks again. “That’s right,” he said. “I found him. … or rather, he found me. Either way, yes, that’s who it is, and _no,_

there’s _nothing_ worth telling you!” Heartbroken at the loss of G’raha, he’d gone home to the Shroud for want of anywhere else to go that would see to it he was left alone, and Yhen had found him wedged between the roots of the tree he’d been waiting at just a bit ago. To his chagrin he’d burst into tears, and she had looked _very_ alarmed, seeing as how he was always a good-humored kit who never truly cried, even when he got hurt… but she’d waited patiently for him to get the story out, and then had held him and rocked him like a child all over again until his tears had faded.

“A _Seeker?_” Tahbe’s eyes widened a little. “We’ll have to hear _all_ of this story, if you please!”

“You will,” Yhen’a promised, “_later._ Like I said, there’s nothing to talk about yet. Instead, why don’t you tell me how my cousins are faring?”

The conversation shifted away from him easily with their immediate curiosity sated, which was exactly what he’d wanted. It was too new to speak much of beyond what he’d already said, and though he knew he loved G’raha and was loved in return, he still had a few things to sort out in his own mind- namely, the difference between G’raha Tia and the Crystal Exarch. Once that was done, Yhen’a decided, he’d tell them more- until then, it was best to keep the topic on the back burner. They talked and laughed until the sun started to rise, and by then he was well and truly exhausted, so when his aunts declared it time to go to bed, he couldn’t begin to argue. He embraced them both, and then his mother, promising he’d be back _far_ sooner than this time.

Before he could get very far, however, his mother called his name, and he turned back curiously. Yhen walked over to him and looked up at him, then lifted her hands and framed his face. “Yhen’a,” she said softly, “I know I don’t tell you often enough how proud I am of you. Every time I see you, I thank Menphina for guiding you back safely. … but… you look _tired._ Can’t you stop and rest awhile…? Is the world truly in such dire straits that you have to do this to yourself? You have a chance to be happy, and I… perhaps I’m biased, but I think you’ve _earned_ it.”

Yhen’a opened his mouth to reply, then closed it and looked down for a few seconds. “It does seem unending,” he finally said softly. “No sooner do I take care of one threat that another arises to take its place. Every scar on my body, on my heart, reflects that- and I know it.” He met her gaze and smiled sadly. “I plan on stopping for a little while, now. I don’t know how long I’ll be able to, but for just a little while… I want to be selfish.”

“It’s not selfish when there’s someone you love who you’re putting before yourself,” Yhen said quietly. “I did the same when I found you, though I’ve not been able to find a man I thought was worthy to serve as a father to you even still. What I’m trying to say, my dear boy, is this- don’t let the world cause you to miss the love of your life. Time stands still for nobody, not even the Warrior of Light.”

_Raha…_

Yhen’a closed his eyes briefly, then gazed at the forest floor before looking at his mother again. “I won’t let it,” he said quietly, “I can promise you that. We still… have a lot of getting to know one another to do, but I promise- I won’t lose sight of what’s important.”

“Good.” Yhen smiled up at him and hugged him tight, then stepped back. “Bring him to meet me, should things get that far- I want to know who it is that finally stole my whimsical child’s heart. Take care of yourself, Yhen’a- may Menphina guide your path.”

“You, too, Mama,” he said, smiling softly at her- and when she disappeared into the underbrush, he stood still for a moment longer before wrapping himself in aether and teleporting himself home.

Though he had a room at the Rising Stones, Yhen’a vastly preferred his own cottage in a secluded part of the Lavender Beds, far from the paths most residents tended to travel. He had neighbors, he was sure, but he didn’t know them- and though cheerful and warm to everyone, he preferred it that way for the time being. His home was his sanctuary, the place he retreated to when he needed a few moments to simply breathe, and nothing else could grant him that sort of peace. He let himself in and locked the door behind him, leaned against it and sighed softly before kicking his boots off and padding toward his bedroom. It was a tempting thought indeed to return to the First and sleep in the Exarch’s arms, but there were still a few things he had left to do on the Source- and if returning was going to pose a problem, it was best that he got them all done before attempting it.

Before dropping into bed, however- no matter how much his body demanded he do so- Yhen’a went to his closet and the locked chest within, opened it carefully and reached in to lift one of G’raha’s journals out. In the chest he kept the things he absolutely couldn’t live without, and enchanted as it was it would withstand almost anything. These journals definitely fell into that category, and he sat down cross-legged and opened it carefully, flipping to close to the end. He’d not yet told the Exarch that he’d learned how to read, and _certainly_ not because of his journals, and he smiled a little as he looked at G’raha’s neat handwriting. One might think, being such a flurry of motion himself, his handwriting would be hurried and hard to read- but it was quite the opposite, which had made Yhen’a’s task all the easier.

_Something Yhen’a sang this afternoon put me in a bad mood, though I can’t honestly say why- or rather, I can’t tell him honestly why. The song is a common one with a common theme, that being lovers cursed by the gods to never reunite… but he sang an extra verse, one which gave the story a happy ending, and it rubbed me the wrong way. I told him that not all stories were meant to have happy endings, and he gave me a flippant answer about the coin being better when the ale flows- but what he said after is what gave me pause. He told me that he likes to see his audience happy, no matter who they are, and then he went out of his way to reassure me when I admitted that the Tower wasn’t what I had expected. I don’t understand him, not entirely… but, somehow- I find myself dreading the day that he leaves our camp, even though he promised to return. I have such a bad feeling, and I can’t shake it… Azeyma- I don’t want him to leave and to never see him again. Mayhap I’m being foolish and idealistic, but… I want him to stay._

_I want **him** to be happy, too… because, Twelve help me- I think I’m falling in love with him._

Yhen’a closed his eyes, then put the journal away and closed the chest. He rose and walked to the window, looking out at the morning mist as the sun climbed higher, then let his breath out slowly. It was _so_ hard… just thinking on all that had happened left a bitter taste in his mouth that refused to leave him. He’d loved G’raha with his whole heart that night, even though he’d not known the extent of his feelings until the doors swung shut and he could only say _I love you_ to the silent, unyielding crystal. There was so much they needed to talk about, so much that needed to be said, but there was one thing he knew to be true beyond all others- he _loved_ him, was loved _by_ him, and though the years had changed them both, _that_ was one thing which refused to change.

When he finally wandered into bed the sun was high in the sky, and Yhen’a somewhat less fell asleep and more simply passed out- but in the few seconds he had of consciousness after he lay down, he smiled sleepily and thought of his beloved waiting for him to return. Gods, but that felt good… just a few days more, he promised himself, and then he wouldn’t leave his side unless he had absolutely no choice.

Just a few days.


	3. Call Me By My Name

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the curious, I drew a couple pictures of Yhen'a- unfortunately I don't presently have him beyond the super early levels, so I couldn't put him in the clothing I wanted him in. I literally used Sorin as a reference when I remembered that dancers can use some of the same gear as bards. :D;;;
> 
> Fully rendered:  
https://aetherstitch.tumblr.com/post/188152510204/dont-worry-one-way-or-another-itll-work
> 
> Flat colors, quick and simple, also with G'raha (YES I KNOW I forgot the white in his hair, since I didn't render it it sorta slipped out of my mind) because Reasons:  
https://aetherstitch.tumblr.com/post/188172785499/welcome-home
> 
> I skipped ahead some and glossed over his trip home because he'll be discussing it with G'raha in coming chapters as they travel, so- it's a'comin, and SPEAKING OF THAT... hang on tight 'cause I'm about to earn that E rating :Db

The rest of his trip went by fairly quickly. Yhen’a had a lot of people to see and a lot of things to do, and he felt like he’d barely had time to sleep- but with things on the Source wrapped up, he could return to the First without concern. He smiled happily and whistled to himself as he finished up his last task, which was gathering fresh oranges- he wanted to have plenty to take back for the Exarch, as well as his biggest surprise- a sizeable pouch of seeds, hopefully to grow his own trees there on the First. It was still a little difficult to think of him that way, as the _Crystal Exarch,_ but Yhen’a was stern with himself in so doing even so. That man was _not_ the G’raha he’d known, and it would be doing him a disservice to assume otherwise- even if his heart yearned for him all the same. He sighed softly as he plucked an orange and looked at it, then tucked it away with the rest. The more time he had to himself the more time he had to _think,_ and he wasn’t entirely sure that was a good thing.

Once he was satisfied with his haul of oranges, Yhen’a traveled the aether to Mor Dhona and then headed toward the Syrcus Trench. He didn’t know how easy it would be to get back, and figured it might be easier if he went to the place it had all begun- especially if he wound up needing the Exarch’s help. There would be a lot to tell him about, he presumed… he would be curious about the places he’d gone, the people he’d met- people he’d only read about, especially in Count Edmont’s book. He smiled to himself as he thought back on his visit with the Count- the man still treated him as a son even after everything that had happened, and that meant the world to him even though it was hard to visit… the memories were still raw and painful. He’d made the trip to Haurchefant’s memorial as well and had stood silently for a long while, remembering back on their time together. How the man had loved him, and that had utterly terrified him- he’d just lost G’raha, the rest of the Scions save Alphinaud and Tataru, and the wounds bled like a fountain. He had come to find some degree of solace in it, but hadn’t had the chance to speak of it. Ser Zephirin had seen to that.

With a faint scowl, Yhen’a looked up at the sky, then set his gaze back to the path to ensure he didn’t do something foolish, like trip over a crystal outcropping. Gods, he hated thinking back on _any_ of it, but Ser Aymeric remained one of his dearest friends… he couldn’t just never return to Ishgard, especially after giving so much of himself for her sake. He wanted to see her people thrive, and to his eye, it seemed they were. In Aymeric he found a man who could easily commiserate with him and understand well his feelings for avoiding going anywhere _near_ the Vault- Aymeric had not ventured back either, not after the uprising, and he said he had no plans to do so unless he was left with no choice. Losing Haurchefant had been a blow he’d still not entirely recovered from, and he had no idea how that would inform things going forward with the Exarch.

Down the slope and into the Trench he ventured, back to the spot he’d reappeared in, and he looked up at the Tower with a smile. “Ah, but I promised you a story first, didn’t I?” he mused. He put his things down and sat down against the Tower, leaning against it and closing silver eyes briefly. “It’s been so long since I’ve been back to see you… I hope you aren’t too mad at me. I can hear you scolding me.” Perhaps he was half-mad with grief even _still,_ coming back to the Tower and leaning against whatever of it he could reach, speaking with G’raha Tia like he could hear him… like he might even _answer,_ if he waited long enough. Yhen’a talked himself nearly hoarse, going over everything that happened since he’d left- and by the end of the story, there were tears in his eyes. “… so, you’ll have to forgive me,” he whispered. “I won’t leave you behind, I swear it- if the Tower opens again, I… well- I’ll figure it out. I _will._ I can’t stand the idea of saying goodbye to you forever, even still.” He bowed his head, then rose and turned to look up, smiling a little and resting his hand on the crystal. “All right, I’ll be off, then. … I hope you’re having sweet dreams, Raha. I’m fighting hard for the future you dreamed of.”

He looked back at the beacon, then hefted his gear and closed his eyes. “Now, then,” he muttered. “Let’s see if he was right… otherwise I might be stuck here awhile.” He took a breath and let it out, then focused hard on the First, on the Crystarium- on the Tower itself. He felt the aether in the air begin to swirl around him as he channeled his traveling spell, prayed to Menphina that it wouldn’t just dump him in the Rift, kept his eyes closed tight- and when he cautiously opened one, he sagged a bit in relief. He was indeed in the Crystarium, and in the dead of night as well- so, thankfully, nobody had been in the Aetheryte plaza to see him appear out of thin air. He imagined that was still somewhat disconcerting for those who couldn’t teleport, and he paused to quickly give thanks to Menphina before hurrying toward the Tower and up the stairs to the Dossal Gate.

As he’d hoped, the Exarch was in the Ocular as per usual, and the smaller man turned from the portal curiously- then smiled ear to ear, hurrying over to him. Yhen’a quickly put his things down and held his arms out, and they both laughed as the Seeker leapt into his arms and hugged him with all his strength- _quite a lot,_ Yhen’a thought, but it felt _good._ They stood still for a long time like that, and then the Exarch drew back and looked up at him with eyes that outshone the stars. “Welcome home,” he said warmly. “I missed you… I’m so glad you made it safely!”

_Home._

Yhen’a quickly hugged him again to hide the tears that sprang to his eyes, and he nodded. “I’m home,” he said, his voice a little rough. “I missed you too, Raha… so, _so_ much.” He took a shaky breath and let it out, then kissed him on the forehead before drawing back to look at him with a warm smile in return. “Things are fine here, then?”

“As you left them,” the Exarch replied cheerfully, “though I, personally, am much happier to have you back than gone.” He paused, then glanced upward before looking back at him with a sheepish smile. “The bed seemed too big, even though you’ve only stayed one night… after all the time I spent dreaming of you in my arms, having had you in truth, well- needless to say, I’ve spent my time recovering from my injuries here and in the Umbilicus.”

Yhen’a blinked, then sighed and reached up to brush his soft red-white hair out of his eyes. “Raha,” he scolded gently, “you need to _truly_ rest, not pretend you’re resting and work!”

“I’m not pretending,” the Exarch replied with an innocent smile in return. “I _am_ resting. … and working.”

“_Raha._” Yhen’a laughed despite himself and hugged him again, then grinned teasingly. “Tell you what,” he said. “I brought you a present- _but,_ you’ll have to agree to rest for all of tomorrow before I’ll give it to you.”

The Exarch’s ears perked forward, and he looked at Yhen’a with a mixture of eagerness and curiosity. “Something from home? … ah- that’s so kind of you! Thank you, Yhen’a!”

Yhen’a grinned. “Your word first,” he teased.

“Hmm…” The Exarch pretended to consider it, then flicked his ears and grinned back. “All right, very well- _if_ you’ll rest with me.” He winked. “I’m not above extortion to sweeten the deal.”

“You haven’t changed at all, you little brat,” Yhen’a said, then laughed when the Exarch whacked his calf lightly with his tail. “Very well, you have a deal. Close your eyes, and hold your hands out.”

The Exarch gave him a look that was half amused, half suspicious. “It isn’t alive, is it?” he asked warily, closing his eyes obediently.

“What would you do if I said yes?” Yhen’a teased. It felt so good to be back with him- it felt just like it had back then, despite all the years between them. He took the pouch of seeds out of his pack, took a breath, then set it carefully in his hands. “Okay- open your eyes.”

Upon doing so, the Exarch studied the pouch curiously, then opened it and peered inside. “… seeds?” he asked curiously, taking one out and studying it before looking at Yhen’a and tilting his head. “What will they grow into?”

Yhen’a winked. “Can’t you guess?” he asked. “I’ll give you a hint.” He reached into his bag again, then took one of the oranges out and held it up.

The Exarch gasped and looked at the pouch, then at the orange- and promptly burst into tears. Startled, Yhen’a reached for him, and the stricken man leaned against him while being _very_ careful with the pouch. “Oh, Yhen’a,” he managed. “I… y-you…”

Yhen’a held on tighter, smiling and pressing his face into his hair. “I’m glad you like them,” he murmured. “I don’t know if they’ll grow here, but- I wanted to try.”

“It means the world to me that you thought of it,” the Exarch replied, his voice muffled. He drew back, still sniffling, and laughed a little. “Forgive me, I’m still a little, ah… over-emotional.” He looked up at Yhen’a and smiled brilliantly. “… but, that you remembered this… my heart feels full to overflowing. Thank you, Yhen’a.” He leaned up and gave him a soft, warm kiss.

Wishing it were possible to draw him closer yet and thankful for this much alone, Yhen’a returned the kiss and then drew back a bit when the Exarch’s grip loosened. “Here,” he said with a quick smile. “This one’s ready to eat- those, you’ll have to wait for them to grow.”

The Exarch took the orange happily, though he held onto the pouch as if it contained the secret to life itself. “This will sound silly,” he said, “but- I’ve dreamed of these… and one of my fondest memories was being in Mor Dhona, and you hunting me down and giving me a whole basket from the markets. You were the first one who didn’t treat me _differently._”

Yhen’a blinked, then cleared his throat and blushed a little. “I, ah, didn’t. … find them at the markets, I mean. I gathered them myself, and these, too.” The Exarch’s eyes widened in surprise, and Yhen’a smiled sheepishly. “Back then, I didn’t know you well enough to tell you the truth- I didn’t want you to feel oddly about me going out of my way to cheer you up. … but… you always seemed _sad,_ even when you were excited about the Tower. I saw you looking toward the fire where the others were gathered, then turning away like you thought you’d be unwelcome. I didn’t want you to have to feel that way.”

Slowly, ruby eyes drifted back down to the orange and the pouch of seeds. The Exarch was quiet for long enough that Yhen’a began to feel nervous- but then he looked back up with a soft, sweet smile. “I never did when you were around,” he said softly. “I didn’t always show it, but I… I liked you from the start, and when you gave me the oranges…” He trailed off, then shook his head slightly. “I- began to wonder if perhaps my feelings for you were more than what they ought to have been. It’s good that you didn’t tell me, I probably would have wandered off and had a quiet meltdown somewhere.”

That wasn’t what he’d expected, and Yhen’a’s lips quirked into a grin. “Well,” he said, “you don’t seem inclined to do so now, which is good… I think.”

The Exarch laughed quietly. “I’m much more comfortable with you now,” he said, looking up at him with shining eyes. “I don’t feel the need to do so, no… but I would like to eat this, and I hope you’ll join me.”

“I wouldn’t miss it.” Yhen’a smiled, leaned down to steal a quick kiss- then grinned and gestured to the bag on the floor. “Also, there’s more than one.”

The Exarch made a sound of surprise and looked at the bag, then laughed helplessly and shook his head. “I may well eat every single one before tomorrow,” he said, amused. “I suppose now is a good time to take advantage of the Tower’s effects on my body- I can’t get ill from it. Come- let’s go upstairs.”

That sounded good to Yhen’a, who hefted the bag of oranges and followed along cheerfully. It had been a long day, and he was looking forward to sleeping while tucked close to his beloved in that _impossibly_ comfortable bed. He yawned a little, then absently wondered if he could talk the Exarch into a portal that _wasn’t_ at the top of too many stairs and at the end of a winding hallway… but then again, there was a great deal to be said for privacy, and the Tower offered it in abundance. Yhen’a enjoyed being the center of attention, but even he needed time to retreat and to be quiet for a little while.

Once inside the suite, he carefully set his things down in the sitting room, then smiled when the Exarch flopped into a large, overstuffed chair and smiled up at him. “Sit with me?” he asked, and when Yhen’a promptly obeyed, he leaned against him and sighed happily. “I know I’ve said this already, but… I’m so glad you’re home. Not knowing what was transpiring on the Source made me very nervous, especially seeing as how you were there with no support at all from the Archons.”

“Honestly, it was a fairly boring trip.” Yhen’a nestled closer, wrapped his arm around the Exarch’s waist and smiled as he began expertly clawing the orange open- some things, it seemed, never really did fade from memory. “I visited Tataru and the Sons of Saint Coniach- all of whom are doing quite well, and bid me tell you hello.” He thought of the doll in his bag and grinned a little- _that_ would be fun for later, a small prank on a man who had seemed to enjoy them maybe more than he should back then. “After that I went to the Shroud to visit my mother and my aunts, to my home for a time to make sure the mice hadn’t moved in- they hadn’t, thankfully- and… well- all over, really.”

The Exarch hummed softly as he plucked a section of the orange from the rest, then looked up at him curiously. “You didn’t speak much of your family,” he mused. “I’d like to hear more about them, if you don’t mind?”

“Hm… I suppose I didn’t.” Yhen’a shrugged and looked up at the ceiling, then chuckled when the Exarch popped the orange into his mouth and sighed blissfully around it. “Good?” he teased, and he was answered with an enthusiastic nod and wiggling ears. “Didn’t you read all about me in those history books of yours?”

After swallowing the bite he’d taken, the Exarch looked at him with a smile. “Yes,” he said, “in a way- I read all about the Warrior of Light. There were a few things here and there about you personally, but… well, to be honest, it was nothing I didn’t already know. You already know that you are an excellent bard, and your songs were still sung in that ruined future I woke to. It seemed the Warrior of Light was a very secretive man, for all he enjoyed being in the limelight.”

Yhen’a laughed a little, ears falling back sheepishly. “That’s true,” he admitted. “I wrote several songs about you, about us- even those made it?”

The Exarch blinked, then blushed and looked up at him. “… you did?” he asked quietly.

“Mhm.” Yhen’a looked up at the ceiling, then closed his eyes and took a breath. He began to sing softly, each note clear and precise, though it was a bit uncomfortable without his harp- he _did_ sing unaccompanied and was used to it, more or less, but it wasn’t his preferred method of performance. The song was fairly abstract, spun in the way a fairy tale might have been, but for those who had been there during the expedition the meaning couldn’t have been more clear. When he finished, he opened his eyes and smiled just a little. “I wanted you to live on in the waking world, too. I’ll have to sing it for you when I have a full-sized harp at my disposal, there are a few instrumental interludes that make it more colorful, but…” He looked at the Exarch and his smile softened. The Seeker gazed at him in rapt attention, still holding the second section of the orange he’d intended to eat- it was like he’d forgotten it entirely.

“That was beautiful, Yhen’a,” the Exarch murmured, his cheeks suddenly tinged with pink. “I recognize the melody, I heard someone playing it on a wind instrument of some sort, but I… I didn’t know…” He trailed off, then blushed darker and bowed his head before looking up at him shyly.

Yhen’a pressed a soft kiss to his temple and gave him a gentle one-armed hug, then relaxed his grip again so as not to be too intrusive. “Most of what I’ve sung here is what I wrote on the Source, but I’ve more material than I know what to do with now.” He grinned teasingly. “I’ve several new songs planned about you.”

“Oh,” the Exarch said faintly, slowly turning scarlet before looking back at his orange. “I- I promise you, I am not that interesting. Everything I’ve done here has been with you in mind, so it’s fair to say that I… am perhaps selfish, in that regard.”

“That’s not true at all,” Yhen’a said gently, and the Exarch looked back at him in surprise. “Helping build the Crystarium, leading and aiding the refugees- that had nothing to do with me. You know each and every person here by name, and if you don’t the first thing you do is ask for it when you see them. Your people adore you, and the things you have done for them- that’s due to the love you bear _them,_ not me.”

The Exarch hesitated, then smiled faintly. “It was a means to an end,” he said quietly, “but you’re right- I do love them. They are my people as surely as my tribe was so long ago.” He looked back up at Yhen’a, then lightly touched his nose to his cheek. “… I want to hear you sing again soon, but for now- I note you’ve managed to avoid my question.”

Yhen’a chuckled quietly. “I didn’t mean to,” he said. “Well… let’s see.” He tipped his chin up again and rested his head against the back of the plush chair, closing his eyes once more. “My mother found me as an infant,” he began. “I was left under a tree in the Shroud, although- in a well-trafficked area, at least by the Keepers, so I wasn’t truly left for dead.” He opened his eyes and smiled wryly. “I like to tell myself that, anyway. So, my mother found me when I was probably just days old, and adopted me right away- she and her sisters, Tahbe and Midhu, raised me. I’ve several cousins, but no siblings. My mother told me just a couple days ago that she never did find anyone she felt would be worthy enough to be a father figure in my life- even though Keeper men tend to do their, ah… _biological_ duty and then are summarily kicked out. She presumed that if she had another child, whoever sired them would be around at least some of the time.”

“It is striking to me how very different Keepers and Seekers are, and yet here on the First, the mystel are all one group.” The Exarch popped another section of orange into his mouth, then smiled and offered one to Yhen’a- and when he took it, he continued. “I think they would be rather horrified at either of our tribal practices, all told… and I think, perhaps, that is for the best.”

Yhen’a blinked, then tilted his head. “How so?” he asked curiously.

“Well,” the Exarch said, “consider my people, for example. If one wishes to sire children, he has to fight for the right to do so- often to the death, depending on the tribe- or he has to strike out on his own and hope that he’ll have a few women who want to go with him. Here… there aren’t any such restrictions, and given the state of things, I think it’s a good thing.”

“That’s true.” Yhen’a hummed under his breath as he thought it over, then looked at the Exarch with a grin. “So, if this hadn’t happened-”

“_Yhen’a,_” the Exarch interrupted, laughing a little and turning pink. “I think it’s fairly obvious where my preferences lie, but…” He trailed off, then sighed and shrugged. “It did weigh on my mind back then- if my research came to nothing, it would fall to me to pass the Allagan eye on within my tribe. Luckily- _luckily-_ things worked out so I didn’t have to, and trust me, I thank Azeyma for it frequently.”

Yhen’a smiled warmly. “After all these years, you still hold to your faith,” he observed. “That’s one more thing you’ve carried with you.” He’d often heard G’raha grumbling and asking his Goddess for patience or mercy or whatever he felt he needed, or thanking Her in turn- it was good to hear him continuing to do so, though perhaps more for his own sake than Yhen’a’s.

The Exarch smiled and nodded, studying the orange. “I do,” he admitted. “I’ve always believed, strongly. Thaliak is the patron most in Sharlayan turn to, but… well- I appreciate all the Twelve, but the Goddess of my birth is the one to whom my loyalty shall always belong.”

“I think that’s a good thing.” Yhen’a nosed at his temple, then rested his cheek against his hair, smiling as his ear flicked against his own. “I suppose one could argue that you’ve become more civilized than the average Seeker _or_ Keeper- you probably fit in better with the mystel than the miqo’te, now.”

“On the surface, yes.” The Exarch polished off the orange, then tucked himself comfortably against Yhen’a’s side. “I suppose my parents wouldn’t recognize me at all, now, appearances aside… but there is more of the G tribe in me than I let on. I am fiercely proud of my heritage, and that will never change.”

Yhen’a settled in and nodded, stifling a yawn. “Good,” he murmured. “Keep it that way. It wouldn’t do to forget where you came from.” Those words came out a bit more bitterly than he’d meant them to, and he cringed inwardly- he must have been more tired than he thought, to speak like that.

Ever observant, the Exarch took his free hand and laced their fingers together. “I always thought you looked like you stepped right out of the night sky,” he mused, “and more so after… ah, after the night we spent together.”

“I may as well have,” Yhen’a replied, then shook his head slightly. “Where I came from doesn’t matter, in the end- my mother is an amazing woman, and so are my aunts. Were it not for them, I wouldn’t be here at all… and had my birth mother chosen to keep me, I’d never have known them. There’s a reason for everything, I suppose- and all of it has landed me right here in this chair, so I wouldn’t take back a single second.” He paused, then looked at him with a quick smile. “Speaking of where I am at present- are you ready to leave? I figured you’d be dragging me toward the door by now.”

The Exarch laughed quietly. “I’ve spent a century waiting for you,” he said, amused. “I think I can wait a day or two so that you can rest properly ere we leave… as well, it will do me good to stay within the vicinity of the Tower a bit longer. I still find myself dozing off at inopportune times, such as when I’m meant to be paying attention to Katliss’s reports- or Lyna’s.” He scrunched his nose playfully. “Better the former than the latter, I assure you.”

Yhen’a smiled, then rose and stretched before holding his hand out. “Well, then,” he said, “if you’re in the mood for a nap, it just so happens I could gladly fall asleep for a few bells.”

“Just a few?” The Exarch raised an eyebrow at him as he took his hand, letting him pull him effortlessly to his feet. “Dark as your skin may be, I can still see the bruises beneath your eyes. Even while we’re on this journey, you’ll be taking the time _you_ need to rest as well.”

“Yes, Mother,” Yhen’a said with an affectionate roll of his eyes, and the Exarch snorted and shoved him toward the bedroom- which, he thought in amusement, was better than Y’shtola threatening to take him over her knee. He’d _believed_ her.

Not that he’d have minded, had the Exarch made the same threat. He’d have been far more liable to ask him whether or not he planned to follow through.

Before getting into bed, however, he cast a glance toward the bathroom. “I should bathe first,” he said apologetically. “I’m surprised you can stand being this close to me- I didn’t take the time to wash up before I came home.”

The Exarch hummed thoughtfully and nodded, then smiled and followed him as he went ahead. “I didn’t notice,” he said, “but I admit- I was focused on the oranges.” He made a show of sniffing the air delicately next to Yhen’a’s collarbone, which made the Keeper blush _just_ a little, then leaned back and shrugged. “No worse than you were after a foray into the Tower,” he said. “You also don’t smell like aether, which tells me your trip to Eorzea really was a peaceful one.”

“I was a _mess_ when- ohh.” Yhen’a groaned and rolled his eyes as the Exarch gave him a cheeky grin, then gently shoved his shoulder before taking a couple steps away to strip out of his travel-worn clothing. “Brat,” he muttered, glancing over his shoulder- but he was grinning, too. As he hooked his thumbs in his trousers, he paused and tilted his head. “Well, then, are you going to watch or are you going to join me?”

The question had a rather unexpected result- the Exarch blinked as though startled out of a daydream, then turned red and hurried toward the door. “I’ll be here when you’re done,” he called.

Yhen’a blinked, then sighed. Well, he thought, maybe it was too soon… the years had created more of a rift than he’d imagined. He shucked his trousers off and swished his tail, then climbed into the pool that the Exarch had indicated was for washing- the other was for soaking, and he intended on taking advantage of that when he was less exhausted. He didn’t move far at first, just sitting still and letting himself relax for a few moments, then he sighed faintly and dipped his head under the water to wet his hair, carefully pinning his ears back as he did so. He was in dire need of a haircut, and the fur on his ears had grown long and silky at the tips- that, too, could do with a trim, he thought. He was about to reach for the soap when gentle hands landed on his shoulders, making him jump a little. “Raha…?” he asked softly. There was no immediate answer, but the Exarch took the shampoo from him and began to carefully wash his hair. It felt _amazing,_ and Yhen’a sighed faintly and closed his eyes- he’d always loved having his hair played with, even pulled at times, and his ears were sensitive as well. “You can keep doing that for the rest of the night,” he mumbled.

“You’ll fall asleep right where you are,” came the amused response. He did continue for a little while longer, though, carefully dragging his nails along the base of each ear and earning a pleased murmur in return as said ears pressed against his hands. Once he’d made sure all the shampoo was gone, he settled his hands on Yhen’a’s shoulders again. “No more hiding,” he said softly. “I am afraid, Yhen’a- of what you’ll think of me now, of what the years have done to us… to _me,_ specifically.”

This would require a delicate touch, and Yhen’a briefly feared that his mind was too muddled with exhaustion to answer him properly- but, he thought, maybe that was for the best. He could only be honest, this way… bluntly so. “I’ve changed, too,” he said quietly. “You saw the scar on my side- there’s plenty more where that came from.” He paused, then tipped his head up, and the Exarch leaned over to meet his eyes, making him smile. “Hello,” he said warmly. “Listen, Raha… this, whatever it is, whatever we do- we are _friends_ first. I won’t do anything to make you uncomfortable, and I promise- I’m not in a hurry. Maybe that night we spent together came too soon, but I-”

“It came too _late,_” the Exarch interrupted. He closed his eyes, then rested his forehead against Yhen’a’s and pressed his nose into his hair. “I waited too long, and I _hurt_ you. I knew full well what I had to do, and if I’d just been bolder, if I’d _just…!_”

Yhen’a lifted his hands to rest over the Exarch’s, heart aching. “I won’t lie to you- it did hurt, but not because of that. I would have _much_ rather had that time with you than to spend the rest of my life wondering, and though I didn’t tell you how I felt… there’s time, now. I know you aren’t who you are then- how could you be? I didn’t think you capable of doing all the things you’ve done, and I don’t mean that as a slight- it just didn’t occur to me that you had that sort of strength, because I didn’t know you well enough. When you… when your hood blew off, that day… I realized that I was wrong.” He let his hands fall away, then turned to face him, knelt nose to nose with him. “You had that strength within you all along. You drew on it when you sealed yourself in the Tower, when you woke and found the world on the brink of ruin… when you came here, did _all_ of this. All in all, I’ve known you as long here as I did then, though we didn’t have the same time together that we did this time… but if someone were to ask me, honestly, if I love who you are _now_\- the answer would be yes, without hesitation.”

Ruby eyes filled with tears, and Yhen’a held his breath. The Exarch looked at him silently for a few seconds, then took a shaky breath and smiled. “Then perhaps my fears are as unfounded now as they were then,” he breathed. “I didn’t approach you until the last night we had because I feared you would reject me- and knowing what I had planned, well… what did I have to lose if you did? Far more, as it happens, but all of it is now returned to me, and I… I don’t know which way is up.”

Yhen’a paused, then smiled and lifted a finger to point at the ceiling. “That way,” he said helpfully, and the Exarch laughed through his tears and rested their foreheads together again- this time from a much better angle. “Raha… if you’re worried now that I’ll reject you- don’t be. It doesn’t matter what you look like.”

The Exarch smiled shyly at him. He still wore his robes, but he rose slowly and reached for the clasps that would undo the heavy golden belt he wore at his waist. “Well, then,” he murmured, “seeing as how you _did_ ask if I would join you, assuming the invitation is still open-?” All Yhen’a could do then was nod around a mouth gone dry, and he watched as the complicated-looking robe was as easily removed as lifting it up over his head and tossing it aside. He wore knee-length black trousers beneath, and he only hesitated a breath before unlacing them and pushing both them and the smallclothes beneath down, stepping out of them and leaving them in a forgotten puddle on the floor. He hesitated, then bowed his head, ears pinned back. “I know I… look passing strange, but…”

“You don’t. Come here.” Yhen’a rose up on his knees and held his hands out, helped him into the water- and when he sat next to him, he gave into temptation and kissed him. Thus far everything between them had been chaste, but that seemed like it was drawing to a close- soft lips parted against his own, he felt the lightest lick to the tip of his tongue, and his mind reeled and tipped sideways. He was flushed and breathing a little faster when the kiss broke, and he wrenched his rebellious thoughts away from anything that would involve taking liberties that hadn’t been offered. He was gratified, however, to see a dark blush across the Exarch’s cheeks and nose as well, and he remained close even after. Yhen’a smiled dreamily at him, nudged their noses together and brushed his lips against the corner of his mouth. “You’re you,” he said quietly, simply. “However you come to me, that’s all that I want and exactly what I need.”

“Yhen’a…” The Exarch’s voice was soft, and the way he said his name was beautiful- more than beautiful, _perfect._ “Thank you,” he said softly. He kissed him again, then smiled warmly at him. “How is it that you always know just what to say?”

Yhen’a was tempted to make a quip about bards always being prepared, but instead he pressed a soft kiss to his cheek. “It’s the truth,” he murmured. “That’s all.” He took a breath, then made a surprised sound when the Exarch kissed him again- and as things tended to, one led to another until he suddenly found the Seeker straddling his thighs, hands lifted to cradle his jaw as he kissed him until he was panting against his lips. “R-Raha…”

Instead of flinching back, which Yhen’a had worried about for a split second, the Exarch smiled at him. His eyes were clear and beautiful- whatever doubts he’d harbored had been tossed to the wind. “I will never tire of you calling me by my name,” he breathed, his lips brushing Yhen’a’s as he spoke. “Every time I look at you, it’s somehow just like the first time I saw you- you are so strikingly beautiful… and to think, that I can call you _mine-_ it’s… far more than I could ever have asked for, perhaps than I deserve as well.”

“Oh, I don’t know,” Yhen’a replied, his voice a bit huskier than he’d have liked- he was sleepy, yes, but he wanted _more._ His tail swayed beneath the water, back and forth in a gentle motion that caused ripples to form on the surface. “I’d say you’ve gotten just what you deserve, if you ask me.” He hesitated, then kissed him lightly on the tip of his nose. “I want you to be happy, and if being with me makes you so- I can’t find reason to complain.” He took a slow breath and let it out, then smiled sheepishly. “I have to be honest with you, however- I’m not made of ice. I don’t want you to feel pressured.”

“You’re sweet.” Slowly, gently, the Exarch trailed his fingertips along his jaw, then settled his hands back in place. “I am _blissfully_ happy, and not at all afraid to admit it- and I fear everyone knows, by now, though I am likely deluding myself into thinking that they didn’t already.” He smiled sheepishly, ears falling back a bit. “I am poor at disguising my enthusiasm when it comes to you, and have always been. … but I spoke true when I told you of my fear of what the years have done to me, to _us._ I am full glad you don’t find me ugly, but… when I look back and think on the young man I was, I… find myself lacking, in some ways.”

“No ‘but’s, Raha.” Yhen’a shook his head and smiled up at him. “You lack nothing, except perhaps self-confidence- and by the time I’m finished with you, you’ll have as much as you did then. The years have hurt you, and I will help the wound heal.” He kissed him again, relished the way his hands trembled a little- one flesh and blood, one solid crystal. What a sacrifice the Exarch had made for him, he thought distantly… no- that _G’raha_ had. All at once the dichotomy made sense in his mind, and he blinked owlishly before looking at him, _really_ looking. He tilted his head a bit, obviously confused at Yhen’a’s sudden, intense gaze- and when the bard smiled slowly, he blinked. “Ah,” he breathed. “Now I see it.”

“… see what?” he, the Exarch- _G’raha_\- asked, flicking his ears in curiosity.

Yhen’a smiled dreamily once more. “You,” he murmured, and drew him down for another kiss. He rested his hands on G’raha’s shoulders, trailed his fingertips along the juncture of crystal and skin, earned himself a low whine and a shudder… and his smile widened against the Seeker’s mouth. Yes, he thought, now it all made sense, and perhaps it was because he was so tired that his thoughts were beginning to blur- but it made _sense._

The Exarch had never been someone else, never simply a product of his circumstances… everything he did, every choice he made, was informed by who he was, who he _had been_ when he and Yhen’a had met. Just like on Mt. Gulg when he’d had the breathless realization of how _strong_ he was, it came to him in a rush that he couldn’t quite put into words… not until he had some time to think on it, but- it was enough, it was _enough._

"My Raha,” Yhen’a murmured- and how G’raha _smiled_ at him, how his eyes lit from within.

All along, hand in hand… it had been G’raha Tia by his side the _entire time._

G’raha indulged him a little while longer, then chuckled softly and drew back, trailing his hands down Yhen’a’s arms and taking his hands. “Come on,” he said, his voice warm and affectionate. “I’m afraid you’re going to fall asleep here, and while I’m fairly certain I can carry you to bed, I’d rather not put that to the test.”

Yhen’a grumbled a little, but allowed G’raha to draw back and gently urge him up out of the water. He _was_ exhausted, he thought, so much so that he didn’t give a single thought to his state of arousal- and, thankfully, G’raha didn’t mention it either, though he wasn’t far behind. G’raha dried them both with a soft word of command, then led him back to the bedroom and gently shoved him onto the bed. He groaned faintly and stretched, his eyes already falling closed- and when his beloved slipped into bed next to him and drew the blankets up over them, he surrendered… but before he fell asleep, he looked at G’raha with heavy-lidded eyes. “Love you, Raha,” he murmured.

“I love you, too,” G’raha said gently, pressing a kiss to his collarbone. “Sweet dreams, Yhen’a…”

Quite sure he was going to sleep at least half a day, and quite thankful for the opportunity, Yhen’a gave in to his exhaustion with a soft yawn. G’raha was warm and solid in his arms, tucked beneath his chin and blessedly _real,_ and that was all he needed to finish off the last bit of wakefulness that remained to him.


	4. Oranges and Shade Trees | Explicit

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As promised, I've earned my E. :Db
> 
> If that isn't your thing, you can easily skip over it; while it does take up a good chunk, that's not ALL that's here.
> 
> mostly.
> 
> :D

Somewhere in the darkest hour before the dawn, Yhen’a started awake from a nightmare, breathing heavily and staring up at the ceiling with wide, unfocused eyes. “Yhen’a,” a soothing voice said next to his ear, making him jump a little- but G’raha tucked himself closer, pressing against him and winding his tail tight around one of his legs. “Shh… I am here with you- you aren’t alone.”

Though muddled and still afraid, his heart racing in his chest as though he’d run for malms without stopping, he _did_ note that G’raha didn’t say _it’s all right- _and gods, but he loved him all the more for it.

Shivering, he rolled onto his side and tucked himself against G’raha’s body as he curled into a tight ball, and G’raha curled protectively around him, rested his chin on the crown of his head and drew the blankets up securely. He’d never had anyone with him when he’d woken from one before, not minding laying with a lover but always slipping out as soon as he deemed it polite to do so- this being exactly why, because he hated being vulnerable in front of people he didn’t know and trust. Ah, yes, he thought to himself, shaking, he _had_ worried about how Haurchefant’s death would impact his mindset with G’raha, hadn’t he- and thus his traitorous mind had shown him the former, instead of falling to a spear of aether, falling to the Light and turning into a sin eater right along with G’raha on Mt. Gulg. The man was never his lover, though certainly not for want of trying, but he perhaps could have been, given enough time… time, in the end, that they didn’t have.

Time, in the end, that G’raha very nearly didn’t have either.

Though he willed himself to stop shaking, his body seemed to have no intention of listening to him- he felt cold straight down to the very depths of his soul, even with G’raha’s warmth wrapped around him and the heavy blankets sheltering him from the world. He breathed in the Seeker’s scent, a mixture of tea and parchment and something uniquely him- something Yhen’a had whimsically attributed to being much like the sunrise on a crisp morning, that night they’d spent together… their first, their _last_. With a quiet whimper, Yhen’a pressed closer, rolled G’raha half onto his back and lay nearly atop him, resting his head on his chest and listening to the comforting sound of his heartbeat, strong and steady. _That_ helped, and slowly, he found himself calming… and when G’raha began to hum softly, he felt himself relax.

It was a quarter bell or so before he felt comfortable enough to move a little, and G’raha drew back to let him uncurl and lay nose to nose with him. “Thank you, Raha,” Yhen’a murmured, looking at him somewhat blearily. “’m sorry… I know I woke you.”

“Don’t apologize,” G’raha murmured. “I wasn’t asleep, and even if I were- there’s no reason I would ever wish for you not to disturb me.” He looked worried, brows knit and eyes searching, and he lifted a hand to smooth over Yhen’a’s ear, which was still pinned tightly to his skull. It lifted a bit at his touch, and he smiled just a little. “Are you all right?”

Yhen’a closed his eyes again. “Well… probably not,” he said with a small, dejected laugh. “Depends on how you look at it. I have so many more nightmares than I did when we shared a tent- it’s rare for me to sleep without waking at some point or another.”

G’raha held him tighter, kissed him softly. “After the things you’ve seen, I don’t doubt it,” he murmured. “I swear to you, Yhen’a… you’ll never wake alone again, not while I’m by your side.”

Something about those words sent a rush of warmth through him, and Yhen’a let out a shaky sigh and nodded. “That means the world to me,” he said quietly. “I know… I know I’m not the easiest person to live with, and now this, too-”

“Stop.” G’raha lifted a finger to lightly settle against Yhen’a’s lips. “I’ll not have you speak ill of the man I love.” He smiled gently, then replaced his finger with his mouth, giving him a soft kiss. “You are worth it to me, you _always_ will be worth it- no matter what.”

Yhen’a swallowed thickly. “Because I’m the Warrior of Light?” he asked, his voice breaking a little- Menphina help him, he’d never intended on divulging _that_ fear, but… with the words hanging between them, he finds that he couldn’t have really hidden it much longer.

G’raha looked surprised, then he huffed just a little. “Did the Warrior of Light wander off to bring me a basket of oranges when I was upset? Was it the Warrior of Light who played his harp and sang with me, and argued with me over verses from songs written long before we were born?” He hesitated, then shook his head a little. “… was it the Warrior of Light who climbed the Tower to see me after all was said and done here, who told me that he… that he loved me- or was it you, Yhen’a?”

The Seeker’s sweet face blurred in his vision as tears filled Yhen’a’s eyes. “Raha…”

“No amount of nightmares, no amount of doubt, of fear, _nothing_ will drive me from your side.” G’raha smiled and pressed soft kisses to the marks beneath his eyes. “I love you madly- even your imperfections- and I never want you to think otherwise.”

Yhen’a nodded, struggling to keep the tears from falling. “I’m luckier than I deserve,” he managed.

With a pause, G’raha grinned- but there was a softness to it, a gentleness, that was reassuring. “It seems to me you got just what you deserve,” he said- and Yhen’a smiled faintly at hearing his words from the night before used against him. “Have no fear for your nightmares, for your traumas- I am with you, will _stay_ with you, through all of it. You are not too much for me to handle.”

Something broke loose inside of him at those words, and Yhen’a gasped faintly and clutched him close as he started to cry. All his life he’d always feared being _too much, _because surely that was why his birth family had left him to die, wasn’t it? Surely _that_ was why his relationships always fizzled and died before they really even started? He had no idea how G’raha knew that was something that plagued him or if his words happened to hit their mark by coincidence, but either way, it was just what he needed to hear- just like G’raha had experienced with _him_ the night before when expressing his own insecurities.

_Ah… now I understand._

When he calmed, the two lay still together and watched the sunrise. Yhen’a smiled a little and closed his eyes briefly, relishing G’raha’s warmth and the strength of the arms wrapped around him. “Aside from making it hard to sleep in,” he said, his voice a bit hoarse, “the wall there does afford a stunning view.”

G’raha chuckled quietly and kissed the tip of his nose. “My darling Keeper,” he said fondly. “If you want to stay up late and sleep late, I’ll make the room dark enough for you.”

“I do like it,” Yhen’a admitted, “but…” He shifted a little, drew back to allow G’raha to roll onto his back with a curious tilt of his head- then smiled down at him. In the warm light of the dawn, he fairly glowed- it made the crystal sparkle, gave his skin a gentle blush… and with his hair fanned out on the pillow as it was, he looked angelic. “… how could I take the sunrise from you?”

“I’ll consider it a fair trade for the night sky,” G’raha replied, smiling up at him and reaching up to gently run the backs of his fingers down Yhen’a’s jawline. “Especially since I have it in physical form.”

Yhen’a blinked, then laughed quietly and tipped his face into the touch. “The years have given you a silver tongue, G’raha Tia,” he said teasingly, feeling quite a bit better. “I don’t recall you being this smooth back then.”

G’raha grinned, bringing his right hand to rest palm-up on the pillow above his head as he threaded his fingers through Yhen’a’s starlight-colored hair. “I’ll take that as a compliment,” he replied. “Living this long _does_ have its advantages, it seems.”

“I wonder what those might be,” Yhen’a mused, then sighing happily as he pushed one of his ears down and stroked over it. “Distracting me already, hmm?”

“Maybe this is one of them.” G’raha chuckled quietly, then looked up at him with a warm, gentle smile. “I love you, Yhen’a… all of you, _always._” He trailed his fingers back down through his hair, along his jawline and then to the back of his neck.

“I love you, too, Raha.” Yhen’a kissed him softly, and when it deepened just as it had the night before, it felt as natural as anything. It felt good to be so close to him again, to be wrapped up in him and tucked safely within the Crystal Tower- what had taken him before now granted them this sanctuary, this unreachable place where all that they had to focus on was each other. G’raha was warm and willing beneath him, stroking his hair and drawing his right hand lightly down his back as he kissed him- he clearly wanted to take his time, and Yhen’a had no qualms at all about allowing him to do so. He seemed perfectly content to remain right where he was, though after a moment or two, he shifted just a little- and Yhen’a drew back, a bit dazed, to peer down at him. G’raha’s lips curved in the gentlest, softest smile he’d seen, and his heart ached even as it sang with joy- that he trusted him this much, _loved_ him this much… it defied all belief, all understanding. “Raha… I…”

G’raha carded his fingers through starlight-colored hair again, looked up at him and studied him as though he’d forgotten entirely what he looked like… and, Yhen’a thought sadly, he may well have, at least in detail. “Stay with me?” he asked softly.

Yhen’a’s eyes widened slightly, then fell half shut. “I will,” he whispered back.

G’raha’s eyes lit up at the soft answer, and he pulled Yhen’a down for another kiss- then smiled against his lips, spreading his legs and drawing Yhen’a to settle between them. “Much as I hate to think on it,” he murmured, “time has stolen a great deal from me- but one thing it never could take was how I felt the night I finally got up the courage to go to you. Before I met you I would lay with whomever I so fancied at the time, finding no reason not to indulge… and that night, so wrapped in you that I even lost sight of my fear for what was to come, I knew there couldn’t ever be anyone else- even as I knew I would never see you again.”

“Oh, Raha,” Yhen’a breathed. Not knowing what to say that would relieve him of the pain, he leaned down and gave him a long, soft kiss. It was one thing to hear him speak of the century or more that had passed since he woke, to look back on the vision the Echo had shown him in the Umbilicus- and another entirely to lay here with him and see the weight of it in his gaze, to hear it in his voice.

“Ah… no- don’t be sad.” G’raha smiled and shook his head, smoothed his ears back and wound his arms around him again. “The way I felt with you is something I’ve carried with me all this time. Everyone else spoke of the Warrior of Light and his deeds, but I was the only one who’d known you then… maybe the only one who’d known you at all. That meant the world to me.”

Yhen’a smiled back and kissed him lightly. “Well,” he said, “I’ll just have to remind you, then- of everything you forgot, everything about me, about _us. _I’ll erase the years between us, love you until all you can think of is now- not yesterday, not tomorrow… _now._”

“Please,” G’raha breathed, tipping his chin up just a bit and taking a slow breath. “Oh, _please…_”

How far they had come from the two young men having their fun in hushed whispers in a tent farther away than either had ever dreamed- and now he was being given the chance to have him in his bed, _their _bed, watching him sweet and vulnerable beneath him as he began to truly grasp that this was _real,_ that this was _really happening._ Yhen’a looked down at G’raha in utter awe for a few breaths, taking him in, taking _all_ of it in. There was absolutely nothing innocent or chaste about the way the Seeker kissed him next, in the way he responded with urgent desire, with _need._ Yes, he thought, he would do just as he’d said he would- every year, every _minute_, he would make into a far-distant memory. It hadn’t been as long for him as it had for G’raha, and he still remembered the things his lover had liked best that night- he drew back and gently drew G’raha up with him, settled him gently astride his thighs and kissed him absolutely breathless as he ran his hands slowly down his back. G’raha needed to feel like a _person,_ not like a _thing-_ and so Yhen’a focused on him just as he had then, kissed his neck as he tipped his head back and groaned faintly, buried his fingers in the hair just above his braid before finding the tie and tossing it forgotten to the floor. He’d done the same then, utterly enchanted by the hair that fell in soft, careless waves about his shoulders- Menphina, but he was _beautiful,_ and that hadn’t changed a bit.

With a light nip at the corner of his mouth, Yhen’a trailed kisses down his chin, forcing him to tip his head back further as he trailed his lips down his throat. The edge of the crystal seemed sensitive, and so he traced it with the tip of his tongue and then lapped at the pulse racing just above, dipping his tongue into the hollow of his throat and relishing the way mismatched hands gripped his upper arms. That they were already undressed was a bit of a disappointment, as Yhen’a would have liked to unwrap him like a coveted Starlight gift, but he promised himself that he would when the opportunity presented itself- instead he trailed kisses lower, ghosting his lips against the crystal that had spread over his collarbone and then given way to smooth, soft skin. G’raha tipped his head back and let out a breathy moan, and Yhen’a smiled and leaned back up to kiss him again, lifting one hand to bury in his hair as he wound the other arm tightly around him. G’raha kissed him hard, ran his hands down his back and up his sides, pressed against him and let a soft, eager sound filter into his mouth as one hand fell to rest on his thigh. Yhen’a nudged their noses together and kissed him again, then looked down and smiled softly- what a beautiful contrast they were in the light of dawn, just as they had been in the dark of their tent… G’raha’s hand was warm and gentle on his thigh, even as his fingers slowly slid inward and earned him a soft, shaky breath. He was pale, though compared to him most everyone was, but his skin was suffused with a blush that made him glow, and Yhen’a couldn’t stop staring at him no matter how hard he tried.

“Raha,” he breathed, watching long lashes flutter over bright red eyes as G’raha grew bolder, as memory began to become clearer and sharpen into reality. Gods, but it had been so long since he’d allowed anyone else to touch him, _so_ long since the one he’d truly _wanted_ to had- and his heart skipped a beat as warm fingers wrapped around him. His face felt hot as he rested his forehead against G’raha’s, as the Seeker watched him and a small, wondering smile curved his lips.

“I worried about being able to… to please you as I once did,” G’raha said in a whisper-soft voice, shifting so that his lips brushed Yhen’a’s as he spoke. “There is… there is very little I want more than to do so.”

Yhen’a’s eyes fell shut for a few seconds, then he gave G’raha a kiss that left them both panting when it broke. “What’s stopping you?” he asked, lips quirking into a grin- and his breath hitched as G’raha’s grip tightened a little. “I’ve wanted… h-ha…” Slowly, gently, he reached for G’raha’s right hand and laced their fingers together- then gave him a crooked smile. “… but, you’re right-handed. Wouldn’t it be easier…?”

G’raha looked down at their hands in surprise, then back at Yhen’a. “It’s not the same,” he finally said helplessly. “_I’m_ not the same.”

“_Raha._” Yhen’a kissed him fiercely, then lifted his right hand to his mouth and kissed his palm and then his inner wrist, and watched his lips part as a darker blush stained his cheeks. Where he once felt the beat of blood beneath his lips he now felt aether flowing throughout the crystal, a rhythm that matched his heartbeat perfectly. “You are still _you,_” he said, keeping his lips against his inner wrist as he spoke, looking into his bright Allagan eyes as they widened a little.

_When I look back and think on the young man I was, I… find myself lacking, in some ways._

Yhen’a drew his tongue up his wrist and to his palm, then kissed his fingertips, all while keeping his eyes firmly on the Seeker’s. “You’re beautiful,” he murmured, “and you’re _mine._ What else matters?”

G’raha closed his eyes for a long moment, then let out a shaky breath on a laugh. “I am an absolute disaster,” he mumbled, quickly lifting his left hand to wipe at his eyes. “Forgive me, I don’t mean to ruin the mood.” He looked at Yhen’a and smiled brilliantly. “Once again, it seems you know just what to say. Thank you, Yhen’a.” He kissed him again, then grinned against his mouth as he dropped his right hand between them this time. “Now, then… _what_ was that about me being yours?”

“You are. All of you.” Yhen’a nipped at his lower lip, then his breath hitched as warm crystal fingers stroked along the length of him, spread the fluid that had gathered at the tip and made his fevered skin slick. “Every… ah- every last bit-!”

“Mm?” G’raha’s grin widened, and it was his turn to bite at Yhen’a’s lips, making him shiver all over. “And does this make you mine as well…?” He stroked Yhen’a carefully, slowly, making him press his hips forward a little as he begged silently for more contact.

“Of course it does,” Yhen’a replied breathlessly. “Raha- please, more…”

G’raha kissed him, drew back and studied him, pupils blown wide with desire. “Shall I claim you, then?” he asked, tightening his grip and stroking him harder, making him draw in a ragged breath as his head dropped and his ears fell back. “Ah, look at you… so many times I had nothing but the vision of you in the grip of pleasure, found myself wanting, _needing_ more- all these years, all this time…”

Yhen’a’s breath came rapid and shallow, and he turned his face to press against G’raha’s neck. The crystal had no give, of course, but it was as warm as his hand- it felt good, _better_ than good. He drew his lips along it until he found the soft skin beneath his jaw, scraped his fangs against the edge of the crystal and wrung a sharp gasp from G’raha, whose hand spasmed around him _just_ enough to make him groan out loud. G’raha shuddered against him, and Yhen’a mouthed at his jaw and did nothing at all to muffle himself- every soft sound, every whispered encouragement made him bolder. “Raha,” he managed, drawing back and lifting pleasure-glazed eyes to bright red, “I want _more!_”

G’raha’s lips parted a bit as they curved in pleasure. He was, Yhen’a thought, enjoying himself a great deal… and, as well, gaining confidence in the fact that his body may have changed, but he was still desirable. “Do you,” he purred. “A moment, then, I pray…” He drew back after one more kiss, then rose and stretched- and laughed a little as Yhen’a quickly went after him, pulled him close for a kiss that left them both panting.

“I’ll taste you first, I think.” Yhen’a smirked at the way G’raha immediately blushed bright red and pushed him gently back against the transparent wall. “It’s good that we’re so high up… otherwise the Crystarium would be getting quite the show.”

“Yhen’a!” G’raha laughed helplessly as Yhen’a knelt in front of him with a wink, then caught his breath when he realized just how serious the Keeper had been about it- his tail lashed back and forth despite the top of it being pressed against the crystal wall as he tangled his fingers in starlight-colored hair. Yhen’a hummed contentedly as he swirled his tongue around G’raha’s tip, tasted the fluid there and wondered how the rest of him might taste as well. He’d not gotten much of a chance to do this in Mor Dhona; aside from there not being much time, G’raha had been the one who’d done most of the work… though not for want of trying on his own part. He took as much of him in as he could, gently holding onto his hips and smiling inwardly as his legs trembled. Luckily, he’d done this enough times to be at least reasonably good at it, or rather his past partners hadn’t _complained,_ and from G’raha’s reactions he assumed he was on the right track.

G’raha panted and whimpered, leaned over just a little and then back against the crystal, letting his head fall against it. Each movement, each flutter of his tongue and each gentle swallow drew a whine from deep within his chest, somehow escaping around a heart that raced as though he’d not stopped running for twenty malms. Yhen’a was careful but relentless, drawing back all the way to tongue at his tip again before moving back down, then back up again- this time looking up at him, relishing the expression on his face. His mouth hung open as he panted, his eyes were squeezed shut- though one slowly peeked open as well, then the other, as Yhen’a grinned a little. “Y… Yhen’a… I…!”

“I’m not made of glass, you know,” Yhen’a purred- and then he took him in all at once, tearing a sharp cry from his throat as he did so. Though he kept his hands on G’raha’s hips he didn’t try to stop him from moving, and it wasn’t long until he couldn’t help it- Yhen’a was calm and careful as G’raha went from rolling his hips to properly thrusting, and he thought he probably _ought_ to stop soon, but he was enjoying himself too much to want to. G’raha whined and called his name, then his breath hitched as his body spasmed- his fingers clutched and twisted Yhen’a’s hair as he lost command of himself, and Yhen’a, surprised at his sudden climax, stayed put as long as he could before drawing back and using his hand instead- and then closing one eye and laughing just a little as a splash of hot liquid landed on his cheek.

It took G’raha a few seconds to force his eyes open again, and when he did he swiftly widened them at the sight of Yhen’a on his knees, the evidence of his pleasure streaking his face. “A-ah! Yhen’a!” He blushed scarlet all over again and quickly crouched, lifting his hand to wipe it away. “Gods, I’m sorry, I… I don’t know what came over me, I-!”

Yhen’a caught his hand and lapped at his fingers, looked at him from beneath long lashes as he bit his lip and flicked his gaze from his tongue back to his cheek, then to his eyes. “Whatever it was, I’m going to want to see it again. _Frequently._” He grinned and lifted his own hand to wipe the rest away, though he didn’t stop G’raha when he hurried to the washroom for a cloth- he just smiled as the Seeker dabbed the soft, damp fabric against his cheek.

“I…” G’raha closed his eyes briefly and rested their foreheads together, then sucked in a slow breath. “I liked… the sight of it, of you…”

“Ah?” Yhen’a grinned outright and nudged their noses together. “Naughty Seeker… you’d like to make a mess on-”

“_Yhen’a,_” G’raha interrupted, laughing and growling a little at the same time. “It doesn’t need to be said out loud!” He nipped at his mouth, then grinned a little and lifted his free hand- in it was the vial he’d been on his way to fetch before Yhen’a had pushed him against the wall. “And assuming you’re not finished with me…”

Ah, what a _quandary._ Yhen’a remembered well how G’raha looked above him, the intense focus that knit his brow and set his jaw, the way those ruby eyes gazed down at him with an expression that had felt, at the time, much like adoration… just as he’d felt looking back up at him, he presumed. “I can wait until you’re… ah…”

G’raha grinned and uncorked the oil. “Oh, no,” he purred. “That would _hardly_ be fair, and besides… I’ve wondered how it would feel for over a century, because I _surely_ wondered in Mor Dhona as well.”

Yhen’a’s eyes widened and a thrill went straight through him, perking his ears up and fluffing his tail. “Raha, you-?” He watched as the Seeker slicked the first two fingers of his right hand, then had to struggle to pick his jaw up off of the floor. G’raha knelt with him, spread his legs wide and slipped his right hand between them. His ears quivered as heat flooded his body, as his blood caught fire and sang in his veins, demanded that he have his beautiful lover in as many was as he could _possibly_ manage before losing command of himself in turn.

“A-ah…” G’raha licked his lips and dropped his forehead to rest against Yhen’a’s shoulder, then drew back to look at him, red-faced and bright-eyed, loose hair sticking to his sweat-damp skin as the rest fell in untamed waves. “Mmh… s-surely you don’t think I abstained from indulging alone…”

Yhen’a swallowed thickly. “I’d be jealous of anyone else,” he admitted- and though part of him felt bad about it, the possessive flash in G’raha’s eyes and the quick grin made that disappear in a hurry. He leaned in and kissed him, felt the fine tremors that raced through his body as he pressed his finger further. “Raha, this…”

G’raha made a soft sound, ears falling to their lowest point as his brow knit. “I want you… I’m not ashamed to- aah!... to do this, to show you… Yhen’a, I’ve waited so long, I can’t… not another second!” He drew the finger out and added another, and Yhen’a took a slow breath. It was almost _worse_, not being able to see what he was doing, because he surely could imagine it- and imagining it made him _burn_ for him.

Slowly, Yhen’a drew a hand down his side, reached back and stroked the base of his tail- then chuckled softly as it immediately wound around his arm. He drew his fingers through the soft fur to help distract him- to help distract _both_ of them, really. “Raha… trust me- I’ve… I’ve been thinking on this too, a _lot._” He blushed a little and shook his head. “Couldn’t help it, not… not with where we left off, where I wanted to go.”

“This time, I’ll go with you,” G’raha breathed, his left hand resting lightly on Yhen’a’s thigh. “Without question… I’ll fall asleep with you, wake with you in my arms- ah… _ah!_” He gasped faintly and pressed his face into the curve of Yhen’a’s neck, and Yhen’a smiled fondly at how hot he felt- feverish, just like him. He held him close as he shifted his weight and moved his hand, and then gasped as that hand- now slick with oil- wrapped around him again. He could barely think, barely _breathe, _with how badly he wanted him… wanted to show him, to _prove_ to him how wanted he was.

Finally, G’raha put his hand lightly on Yhen’a’s shoulder to push him down onto the floor, then made a surprised sound as Yhen’a scooped him up and stood. “Not on the floor,” he said, shaking his head. “Not a chance- bad enough our first time was on a tiny cot in a leaky tent. This time…” He gently lay G’raha on the bed, then moved over him and smiled, leaned down to nudge their noses together. “This time, I’ll love you as you deserve.”

G’raha stared up at him, then blinked several times to chase his tears away and smiled, draped his arms around his shoulders and his legs around his waist. “Well, then,” he murmured, “I suppose you’d best get started…”

The playful, teasing atmosphere was gone entirely. Yhen’a gazed down at him, nose to nose, then took a slow breath. “Raha… I love you,” he breathed. G’raha shifted beneath him, breathed it back and pressed his hips upward- and always one to take a hint, Yhen’a didn’t make him wait any longer. The sensations that washed over him could only be described as _intense,_ and he felt the breath driven from his lungs as he slowly, slowly sank into him. G’raha held on tighter and squeezed his eyes shut, fingers digging into his skin, then let out a low groan as he buried himself to the hilt inside of him.

Panting, G’raha slowly opened his eyes and looked back at him with a sweet smile. “Ah,” he breathed. “You… it feels…” He trailed off, then drew him down and kissed him. “Go ahead… you don’t have to wait for me.”

“I don’t want to hurt you,” Yhen’a managed, holding still through iron willpower alone- G’raha was _so_ tight around him, and the temptation was right there to do as he’d said, to take him, _claim_ him, but he steadied himself and shook his head. G’raha kissed him again, then kissed his chin, his jaw, whatever he could reach.

After a few breaths, G’raha shifted again and made a quiet sound. “Yhen’a… please-?”

Yhen’a closed his eyes, then pressed his face into G’raha’s soft hair as he gave in. He was slow and careful, breathing shakily as each thrust sent shockwaves through him, as G’raha arched beneath him and made the most amazing sounds- he wanted it to last _forever,_ but with all they’d already done he feared it wouldn’t last half as long as it ought to regardless. “You,” he breathed, “you- my beautiful… precious Raha- ah!” Stringing words together was nearly impossible, and he squeezed his eyes closed as G’raha urged him to go faster, lifting his hips and murmuring softly to him- murmurs that became a slow, soft chant of his name until they’d both worked themselves into a sweeping crescendo, a whirlwind of emotion and feeling and _belonging. _Yhen’a could barely think, could barely _breathe,_ but it didn’t matter- he felt G’raha’s gasping breaths against his skin, felt him trembling and straining beneath him, and there was nothing left- nothing at all. He broke with a cry, G’raha’s name ringing in the silence of the Tower, and G’raha arched powerfully against him- and then it was gone, fading away the same way it had built, leaving them panting and sweaty on the tangled bedding.

G’raha held him tightly, and for a very long moment neither of them moved- then Yhen’a drew back, carefully knelt in front of him, resting his hands on his knees and looking down at him worriedly. G’raha smiled back at him, lifted his arms over his head and stretched- then gasped and nearly bent double as Yhen’a took him in hand. “Oh, gods-!”

Yhen’a shifted, moved so he was leaning against the wall and drew G’raha into his lap, cradled him close and wrapped his hand around him again, smiled as he keened and clutched at his legs. It would have been nice if he could have kept going, he thought blandly, but- next time, when both of them were more used to one another and less overwhelmed. This, also, was a reward in and of itself… and when G’raha spilled over his hand with a cry of his name, he pressed a kiss to his crystalline shoulder and smiled.

It was a long moment before either of them felt like moving much, but eventually Yhen’a shifted and urged him off of the bed and into the washroom, into the cool water. G’raha sighed deeply as he settled in, pinned his ears carefully and ducked beneath the water to wet his hair, then surfaced again and looked at Yhen’a with a soft smile. “Thank you,” he murmured, shifting close as he settled in and pressing a kiss to his cheek, then to his mouth. “It… it was nice, to feel like a man again- even though this body isn’t what it was when first we…” He trailed off and colored a little.

Yhen’a sighed softly and smiled, lifting a finger to lightly tap him on the nose. “You’re going to have to learn to say it,” he teased gently. “After we had sex, you mean?” G’raha’s blush deepened, and he couldn’t help it- he laughed and kissed him. “Ah, you’re-!”

“Don’t say it!” G’raha demanded, the sparkle in his eyes giving him away.

“Cute,” Yhen’a finished with a grin, and G’raha hid his face as his ears wiggled. “Sorry, Raha, but I love the way you react… and you really are cute.”

“The Crystal Exarch is not _cute,_” G’raha said haughtily, but he was grinning the entire time.

Yhen’a grinned and shrugged. “Maybe not, but G’raha Tia is,” he said- and _that_ response earned him a swift kiss on the lips, one that made him blush a little in pleased surprise. “And, speaking of that… Raha- you’re as much a man now as you were then, as you’ve _always_ been.”

G’raha studied him for a moment, a small smile playing about his full lips. “Well,” he finally said, “I suppose it’s good that you think so… seeing as how I doubt very much you’d prefer thinking of it as making love to an Allagan construct.” The smile became a smirk, and Yhen’a grinned.

“I do think so, thank you very much,” he said, “but I want you to think so, too.” Yhen’a shook his head, then grabbed the shampoo and gently began to wash his hair. “I know it won’t happen overnight, not after a century’s worth of believing otherwise, but… nay- your body is _yours,_ through and through.” He took his time with the fur of his ears, washing them carefully and smiling as they pressed back against his hands. “Except for one thing.”

G’raha looked back at him curiously, one ear swiveling towards him. “What?” he asked curiously.

Yhen’a grinned again. “Your ears,” he said. “They’ve a mind all their own. Now I know why you hide them all the time!”

“Ah!” G’raha laughed and put his face in his hands again, then peeked back at him from between his fingers. “How can they not, with your hands on them as they are?” He shook his head a little, amused, then leaned against him and smiled up at him.

Once they’d finished bathing and dressing for the day, Yhen’a smiled at him and gently tugged on his hand. “Come with me,” he said eagerly. “Let’s take a couple of the oranges and get a proper breakfast to go with them- we can eat on one of the terraces. It looks like a beautiful day!”

“That it does,” G’raha agreed with a warm smile. “Very well, I think that’s a wonderful idea.” He plucked two oranges out of the basket as they walked out of the sitting room and tucked them into one of his pockets, then took Yhen’a’s hand and laced their fingers together. “Shall we?”

“I’m ready,” Yhen’a said with a broad smile. How lucky he was, he thought, even if they had to keep their relationship quiet- he was fully ready for G’raha to let go of his hand when they reached the bottom of the Tower, but he kept hold of it as they walked through the heavy doors and down the grand staircase that led into the main plaza. As always, G’raha smiled warmly and greeted the people they walked past, and Yhen’a stood patiently as he paused to chat at longer lengths with those he knew better… and the whole time, their fingers stayed laced together. More and more, Yhen’a began to realize that people had noticed and were watching them with smiles- and he looked at G’raha and smiled as well, seeing him laughing with one of the Mean craftsmen.

The breakfast they acquired was fairly light, a fresh loaf of bread with freshly churned butter and a few different wedges of cheese- and, of course, the oranges. The two sat together in the grass not far from the Rookery, beneath a large tree that provided plenty of shade. Yhen’a smiled softly as he watched G’raha carefully spread the food out on the small picnic cloth that had been handed to him with a knowing glance, and impulsively, he leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.

G’raha looked at him with shining eyes and kissed him back, then enthusiastically began to peel his orange. “Ah, this is wonderful,” he said happily, ears flicking in the light breeze. “Thank you for thinking of it, Yhen’a- you were right, it really is beautiful outside today.” 

“You’re welcome.” Yhen’a took his own orange and started peeling it, looking up at the blue sky dotted here and there with fluffy white clouds. How _strange_ it had been when he’d first arrived here- he had abhorred the Light with a visceral sort of intensity, had loathed it from the very start. The people of Norvrandt were of course used to it, as it was all they’d known save some of the elves- and, of course, G’raha himself. Now, he wondered what changes might come to the land with regular weather, and he imagined it might be a difficult transition at first. “What sort of place was this, before the Flood?” he asked curiously.

“Hm?” G’raha looked at him, having just popped an orange wedge into his mouth, and gave him a sheepish look as he chewed and swallowed before answering. “Well,” he said, looking up at the sky as well, “from what I can glean from the history books and such that we’ve collected, Lakeland seems a mild area. The temperatures can get quite cold, but it doesn’t tend to be blisteringly hot- which, I admit, I am full thankful for.” He grimaced and shook his head. “As far north as I’m from, I don’t care much for the heat.”

Yhen’a chuckled. “I don’t either,” he admitted. “I think I’ll like it here just fine- it feels really nice right now.” He looked at G’raha and smiled warmly. “Where do you want to go first, then?”

G’raha smiled softly and looked down at the food, then back at Yhen’a. “Forgive me for sounding overly sentimental, but it truly matters not so long as you’re with me.” He leaned against Yhen’a and gently twined their tails together. “Have you a preference?”

“I feel the same way,” Yhen’a admitted, nosing at his temple before taking a slice of bread and lathering it with the fresh butter. “Hmm… well- it’s no surprise that I felt at home in Rak’tika- shall we go there first?”

“An excellent idea, my love.” G’raha leaned against him, then yawned a little as he looked up at the sky and plucked another orange wedge from the peel. “Ah, I really am getting old- all I can think about right now is how comfortable it would be to take a nap here.”

Yhen’a laughed quietly and wrapped an arm around him. “You can,” he said, amused. “Go right ahead. I’ll stay right where I am.”

G’raha chuckled quietly. “Don’t tempt me,” he murmured. He took a bite of the orange, then looked up at him with a faint smirk. “I’ll hold you responsible for it, however, seeing as how you sufficiently wore me out this morning.”

“I didn’t hear you complaining then,” Yhen’a retorted, and G’raha gave him a cheeky grin before polishing off the second half of the orange wedge. He laughed and hugged him gently, then took a bite of his bread and looked back up at the clouds. The two passed the morning there, in the end, having finished breakfast and not particularly wanting to move… and, as he’d said, G’raha eventually dozed off leaning against him there in the shade. Yhen’a wrapped his arm around him and smiled softly, pressed a kiss to his hair and let himself relax as well. They’d leave as soon as he felt G’raha was ready to do so- until then, there were plenty of places around the Crystarium to relax and nap in, and together he would make sure they found every last one of them.


	5. Cold

By the third day, much to Yhen’a’s amusement, they seemed well on the way to finding all of the best napping spots. They’d not been able to leave yet, but he was in no rush- it was more important to him that G’raha recover from his ordeal… although truth be told, it gave him too much time to think. He’d turned to composing, as he always did to clear his mind, while G’raha slept leaning against him or with head and shoulders resting in his lap as he reclined against whatever surface was most comfortable. That was certainly nice, he admitted, and he liked making sure that not only was G’raha resting, he was doing so undisturbed- anyone who’d wandered near had gotten a warning glance from sharp silver eyes, and they’d hastily taken themselves elsewhere. Yhen’a wanted him to _rest,_ not feel obligated to answer and each and every person who wandered by.

That day they were tucked away not far from the Pendants, in the courtyard that bordered the very edge of the Crystarium. Not many people seemed to wander in this direction, and thus Yhen’a felt good about settling in. G’raha was resting head and shoulders in his lap, as per usual, though he was curled up on his side with his legs tucked up- a sight Yhen’a found endlessly charming. For all his power, all his years, he was still as human as all the rest of them… and though Yhen’a saw it easily, G’raha still struggled with it, and Yhen’a knew that wouldn’t change any time soon or thanks to a few easily spoken words. That he was entirely comfortable in the Crystarium came as no surprise; this was his home, and he knew each and every ilm of it. The fact that he’d so staunchly refused to be considered royalty was something that came as no surprise either, at least to Yhen’a… arrogant and abrasive he may have been, but having an over-inflated opinion of himself only seemed an issue when it came to his knowledge of Allag. Being the last living son of the Empire, he likely _could_ have styled himself as such, but, well… it wasn’t his way, and Yhen’a loved that about him.

Well, that and _many_ other things.

Humming softly under his breath, Yhen’a still didn’t miss the sound of footsteps approaching- even in the soft grass. He looked up quickly, ready with a warning glance, and then blinked when he saw Thancred striding over to them. Honestly, in as much armor as he wore now he _should_ make more noise than he did, but he’d been a rogue for so long that it seemed simply engrained in him. Now nearing forty years old, at least on the First and that thanks to the five he’d spent more or less alone, Thancred showed absolutely no signs of slowing down nor of even beginning to consider doing so… though Yhen’a saw the shadows in his eyes, the slightly pinched corners of his mouth. Maybe, he thought wryly, G’raha wasn’t the only one in need of a nap.

Without ceremony or comment, Thancred settled in next to him and leaned back against the stone wall behind them. “I’d wondered where you’d gotten off to,” he said, making very sure to keep his voice quiet so he wouldn’t disturb the sleeping Seeker. “I presumed you were still on the Source, until I overheard a couple of the Crystarium guard commenting on you keeping watch over the Exarch. It seems he’s prone to dozing off after his ordeal, to nobody’s great surprise.”

Yhen’a smiled a little and looked down at him. “He’s still worn dangerously low,” he said quietly. “So long as I’m around he’ll actually rest- so here we are.”

“Here you are,” Thancred agreed. He seemed to be considering something, and he finally looked at Yhen’a with his eyebrows raised. “You’re going to make me ask, aren’t you?”

“Ask what?” Yhen’a grinned at him, and Thancred rolled his eyes and gently poked him in the arm- again, so as not to disturb G’raha. “Why, whatever have I done to deserve such a thing?”

“I think you’re well aware.” Thancred shook his head, amused.

Yhen’a smiled and looked back down at G’raha, though his smile faded after a few breaths. “Yes,” he said, “though I should think after everything, it should be obvious.”

Thancred snorted faintly. “Come now,” he said, “_how_ many years have you known me? Never make assumptions, even if something seems plain as day.”

“Ah, yes,” Yhen’a mused, “I suppose that’s true enough… though I’m not wrong in guessing you _have_ an assumption on the matter.” He caught Thancred’s eye-roll and grinned at him. “This could go on for days, you realize.”

“So perhaps you might be so kind as to cut to it,” Thancred replied, then paused. “… provided, of course, this is something you feel like sharing- but given the gossip that’s caught fire, I’m going to _guess_ that you and he are in a relationship at the very least.”

“Does that count as an assumption?” Yhen’a asked, then chuckled and shook his head when Thancred gave him a look very reminiscent of what his tutors had given him when he was first studying music. “All right, all right. Yes, you are correct, though it is admittedly as new as the day he woke.” Less than a week, Yhen’a realized with a bit of surprise- it didn’t seem possible, not as comfortable as they’d become with one another… then again, he supposed the six year gap hadn’t done anything to dull his own feelings, nor had the three hundred plus centuries done the same for G’raha. “I’m not inclined to hide it, nor is he, but I don’t know that either of us feel like shouting it from the battlements, either. I had planned on telling all of you, though I’m going to _assume_ everyone knows.”

Thancred sighed and let his head fall back against the wall in mock exasperation. “You’ll never learn,” he said. “However, in all fairness, you aren’t wrong- they _think_ they know. Ryne has been dancing around asking me about it since we returned, but I think that’s more because she’s worried about the both of you- and perhaps intruding on you- than because she wishes to pry.”

Yhen’a smiled fondly. He liked Ryne, really- he’d liked her since they’d first met, and she went by the name Minfilia. It didn’t suit her… it had sounded like a chord struck slightly out of tune, and he’d had to try hard not to cringe every time he said it. Now, she seemed so much happier- and he owed her his life, for which he’d not had the chance to speak with her about. “I’d like to see her,” he admitted. “I’m making sure he rests, but Raha still has work he has to do in the Tower- reports and inventories and what not- so I’ll go and find her when he goes back for the afternoon.”

“You know,” Thancred said thoughtfully, “I’ve been racking my brain trying to come up with who he could have been the whole time I’d been here, and not ever _once_ did I presume it would be a fellow Archon. I don’t know if I should be embarrassed or if it speaks well of his efforts of concealment.” He looked down at G’raha and smiled faintly. “Our paths did cross, once or twice, though admittedly if I knew his name before you called to him on Mt. Gulg, I had forgotten it.”

Yhen’a looked down at him and smiled sadly. “He hinged all of this on the probability that I’d forgotten him as well,” he said. “I played along with him- what else could I do?- but… what’s been six years for me, has been _far_ more than that for him. … I think, much as he hates it, his memories of me had begun to fade as well. He’d linger sometimes while I’d play and sing at the Wandering Stairs, back before… you know, and truthfully I think it’s because he was putting who I am now to the comparison of who he remembered me being all along.”

Thancred nodded slowly. “The first thing that goes is the memory of someone’s voice, as I understand it,” he said softly. “Undoubtedly if you were singing, he had little reason to leave. Sometimes when I think on my early days with Master Louisoix, the fine details are frighteningly dim- and it hasn’t even been all that long ago, comparatively.” He smiled a little and shrugged. “Memory also tends to paint someone in the light of perfection, and I _certainly_ saw a good dose of hero worship in him when it came to you.”

“Heh. I’m hardly perfect and he knows that well enough.” Yhen’a shook his head. He looked down at him and smiled sadly. “… truthfully- I’m selfish. I let him go when he sealed the Tower on the Source, but when it came time to let him do so again- this time to save me… I fought him right up until Emet-Selch took care of it for me, and I fought Emet-Selch to get him back. I suppose the Light was its own problem, but by that point, I didn’t care. Awful, isn’t it?”

“Hardly. I’d say it’s human.” Thancred closed his eyes, face tipped up toward the sunlight that shone through the leaves above. “Trust me, had I any way of stopping Minfilia from doing what she did, I’d have done it. … love has a way of doing that to a person, romantic or otherwise.”

Yhen’a nodded in agreement, still studying G’raha’s face. He looked so sweet when he slept- young, relaxed, the years falling away and the Crystal Exarch stepping aside to reveal the historian beneath. “I taught myself to read because of him,” he said, looking up at Thancred and smiling a little. “He took nothing with him when he sealed the Tower, and he and I shared a tent- that’s how I got to know him. I was… upset,” and here he spoke carefully, because he’d been less _upset_ and more half-mad with grief at losing someone he’d truly wanted to be with forever, “but had enough presence of mind to pack his journals among my own things. I left all the notes he took about the Tower and everything that had been learned, as I figured he’d have wanted that to stay with the Sons of Saint Coniach, but whatever else I could find- I couldn’t part with it.” He paused, then snorted. “The _problem_ being, of course, I couldn’t read it. … so, in Ishgard, when I couldn’t sleep due to the howling wind or stress or whatever reason, I taught myself.”

Thancred looked impressed, and he smiled warmly at him. “A good thing to know how to do regardless,” he said, “but- certainly a noble cause to pursue. … though I doubt even I have the mental fortitude to dig through the material he’s likely had memorized for years.”

“I’m not even going to try.” Yhen’a grinned, fangs flashing a bit before he shook his head. “Like I said… when it comes to him, I’m selfish, and I don’t know if that will change.” His smile faded again and he closed his eyes. “… eventually, I’ll have to go back to the Source for who knows how long. Elidibus is still a problem, especially wearing Zenos’s body. I don’t think for a second the Empire has any real reason to back down, not after Ghimlyt Dark.”

“You’re right.” Thancred studied the grass as though it were the most fascinating thing he’d ever seen. “… it seems you and I both have our choices made for us, but you, at least, will be able to return as you like.”

Yhen’a’s eyes widened. That was true, and how _careless_ of him- Thancred couldn’t use his aether at all, and there would be no way for him to return to the First with his soul still on the Source… not without G’raha Calling him as he had before, and who knew how they’d end up getting them back home? “Hey, now,” he said gently, mind working furiously to come up with a solution, “don’t be like that. Who’s to say Ryne won’t come with us? She’s the Oracle of Light- it’s not like she’s stuck here.”

Thancred snorted faintly. “Thank you for the attempt, my friend,” he said, shaking his head, “but I’m not quite as certain as you seem to be. … then again, who knows but that you could be right? Either way, I’m doing my best not to dwell on it. It seems we’ll be here for quite some time yet, especially seeing as how I’ve no desire to push the Exarch into overworking himself.” He looked at G’raha and frowned just a little. “His wounds have been healed, but- how is he, truly?”

“… ah,” Yhen’a began uncertainly, “he’s… about as well as can be expected, I suppose.” He shrugged helplessly. “I don’t know what Emet-Selch did to him, and I haven’t asked. He has nightmares, to nobody’s great surprise… but having plenty of my own, I know to leave well enough alone unless he speaks of it himself.”

Thancred’s lip curled at the mention of Emet-Selch. “Having had my share of time with an Ascian whispering in my ear, I admit that is what worries me. It doesn’t take them long at all to strip all the layers back, no matter how you struggle.” His expression became worried as he looked up at Yhen’a. “… and what of you?”

Yhen’a blinked. “Me?” he asked. “Oh. I’m…” He stopped before he could finish and laughed quietly, bitterly. “… this has, without a doubt, been the hardest few moons of my life. I’m tired, _exhausted,_ and most assuredly not all right- but… I will be. I always am, in time.”

“Will you take the time?” Thancred asked seriously, looking him in the eye.

“Do I have it to take?” Yhen’a shook his head. “It seems like all I do is go from battle to battle, war to war, and it never stops- it barely slows down. Every scar on my body, on my heart, tells that tale well enough. I plan on taking Raha away for a little while, but even still… there’s this fear inside of me that while my back is turned, something horrific will happen because I wasn’t there.”

Thancred closed his eyes and dropped his chin to his chest, then looked up at him again, expression pained. “I regret that I haven’t been able to be with you more throughout all of this. I pledge you- if you will have me, I will always have your back. That is a guarantee.”

The words warmed him, and Yhen’a’s smile in return was genuine. “Of course I will. Who else will I sing duets in seedy taverns with?”

Thancred snorted, but he grinned just a little. “You’ve a good point,” he mused. “I do seem to attract more women when you’re around, too- your voice compliments mine nicely.” He paused, then looked at G’raha again. “Speaking of singing, I’ve heard the Exarch sings beautifully as well.”

“He does,” Yhen’a said fondly, thinking briefly on the time G’raha had sang for him- songs from his home, from the time of the Allagan empire, even bawdy tavern ballads when they’d had too much cider. “Hopefully, once he’s recovered enough, he will be happy enough to do so again.” He paused, then looked at Thancred with a soft smile. “Thank you, Thancred… truly. Each and every one of you is family to me, and you- all of you- are the reason I fight as hard as I do.”

“I’m honored,” Thancred said quietly, smiling in return. “As it happens, I’m of the same opinion. Family is worth fighting for, always… and the Scions have certainly given me one as time has gone on.” His smile turned to a faint smirk. “Now then, since I _am_ the eldest, I’m going to give you a piece of advice you certainly didn’t ask for and might just toss by the wayside, but my years give me the privilege of doing so.” Yhen’a laughed and flicked his ears, and Thancred smiled again. “The world won’t make time for you, Yhen’a- you have to force it to let go. You are the Warrior of Light, yes, and the Warrior of Darkness to boot, but before all of that you are _you._ Don’t let all of this make you forget that, especially now that you have someone to return home to at the end of the day.”

“I thought Urianger was older,” Yhen’a said thoughtfully- then shook his head and smiled. “No- you’re right. My mother told me something similar when I visited her a few days ago. I have a lot of thinking to do, yet.” G’raha stirred a little and slowly opened his eyes, and Yhen’a gently lifted a hand to smooth his hair and stroke over his ear. “Sorry, Raha… did we wake you?”

“Mm… no.” G’raha yawned and sighed, then smiled just a little as he peered up at Thancred from where he was. “Forgive me for not sitting up and greeting you properly, but I fear if I push myself up all at once I’ll faint- and I don’t know if my pride will survive.”

Thancred laughed quietly. “Stay where you are, there’s no call to get up on my account. I happened by and saw the two of you here, and thought I would stop and chat with Yhen’a for a moment.” He paused. “… how are you feeling, Exarch?”

G’raha yawned again. “Weary,” he admitted. “I imagine I will be for some time yet. Being within the Tower’s reach is certainly helping, but I was all but spent when I ascended Mt. Gulg as it was. I will be just fine within a couple of days.” He looked up at Yhen’a and smiled softly. “Being spirited off to various corners of the Crystarium to nap has certainly helped.”

Yhen’a smiled back at him and nodded. “Assuming this will be the case in Lakeland as a whole, I figured we could leave in the morning. I found a cove that looked beautiful while I was flying to the Isle of Ken- we can camp there for a little while before we go to Rak’tika.”

Thancred smiled warmly. “I’m glad for you both,” he said, pushing himself up and stretching. “I’ll go tell Ryne that you’ll be along later, Yhen’a.”

“Thanks,” Yhen’a said, looking up with a quick smile in return. “I’ll see you later.” Once Thancred had walked on, Yhen’a turned his attention back to G’raha and gently rubbed the baes of his ear, making him murmur softly in pleasure and close his eyes again. “If you’re still tired, sleep awhile longer- I’ve nowhere to go at the moment and certainly nowhere I’d rather be.”

“The Warrior of Darkness retires to serve as a pillow for the Crystal Exarch,” G’raha mused, chuckling quietly. He’d not moved much from where he was curled up, which made Yhen’a worry just a little. “I very well might, if you’re offering.”

“Of course.” Yhen’a paused, then gently drew his hand down the curve of G’raha’s jaw. “Raha. … are you really all right?”

G’raha smiled sleepily at him. “I am,” he said, his tone just as gentle as Yhen’a’s caress. “Truth be told, I am enjoying this far too much to want to give it up- though I do _need_ the rest, I would be able to function well enough without it if I had to. … I missed you so much- whatever opportunity I have to be near you, to feel your warmth, I will take. _Shamelessly._”

A century was such a long time to go without touch, without affection, without anyone even knowing so much as his name- Yhen’a couldn’t fathom what that must have felt like. G’raha melted against him when he embraced him, murmured quietly when he kissed him and chased after him for more… he’d been utterly starved for any sort of contact, and Yhen’a could find no compelling reason not to grant it whenever he could. … well, save the people in the Crystarium seeing them making out like kits in heat. _That_ was best left for their rooms in the Tower. “You don’t need an excuse to touch me, you know,” Yhen’a said, fondly amused.

“I know, and full glad am I for that fact.” G’raha chuckled and closed his eyes, then slowly sat up and stretched before shifting close to him again, nudging their noses together and brushing a whisper-soft kiss against his lips. “… but, I know you as a man who prefers solitude when he isn’t in the spotlight- and I don’t want you to grow weary of my constant need for your touch.”

“Not possible.” Yhen’a lifted a finger to tap G’raha’s nose, making him laugh quietly. “You aren’t wrong, I did tend to prefer being on my own when I wasn’t performing, but Raha- there will _never_ be a day I want to be alone instead of with you.” He moved his hand up to gently card his fingers through faded red hair, smiled as G’raha’s eyes slowly fell shut. “I’ve always felt that way… or at least, after I brought you the oranges and hauled you up the Tower after me.”

G’raha chuckled quietly, the sound rumbling low in his chest. “You sent me back,” he said, amused.

“That’s because I knew I was going to get my arse soundly beaten by whatever was on the roof, and I wasn’t wrong.” Yhen’a grinned as G’raha sighed and shook his head in mock sadness. “I didn’t think you needed to suffer with me. … also, seeing the look on your face when you came up to find that I’d won- that made it worthwhile.”

“I pouted like a kit who didn’t get his way,” G’raha replied, laughing quietly and pressing their foreheads together.

“You still pout like a kit who doesn’t get his way!” Yhen’a laughed as G’raha made a face at him, then the two were kissing one another as though they hadn’t just had a tumble before getting out of bed for the day- and Yhen’a found himself _strongly_ considering picking him up and taking him back to the apartment in the Pendants that was still technically his, though most of his things were no longer there. The bed was, and really, that was all he needed.

“Well,” G’raha said breathlessly when the kiss broke, “I suppose that’s true, but _usually_ it’s for good reason.” He groaned faintly and rested their foreheads together again. “Gods be good, you will be the very end of me, Yhen’a Molkoh- I hope you know that!”

Yhen’a grinned and nipped at his lower lip. “I’ll take that as a compliment,” he purred. “You _do_ have some time before your meetings this afternoon, don’t you?” When G’raha nodded eagerly, Yhen’a rose and drew him up- then picked him up bridal style, earning himself what sounded _almost_ like a squeal before the Seeker laughed helplessly and wrapped his arms around his neck.

“_Yhen’a!_ Leave an old man some of his dignity, won’t you?” G’raha did his best to sound indignant, but he really only managed to sound happy- and that, Yhen’a thought, was the best thing he could imagine… especially seeing as how he made no real effort to get away, even when Yhen’a absconded with him into the Pendants proper.

After sending G’raha on his way with one more kiss, Yhen’a lingered in his old room for a moment before heading out to find something to eat- and then to find Ryne. He hoped she wasn’t _too_ worried, but he had to admit… despite G’raha’s reassurance that he was, in fact, fine- and the very proof of it just a bit ago- he was still a little worried himself. Would G’raha tell him, he wondered, if something really _was_ wrong? Would he tell him if something was _fatally_ wrong? He didn’t have an answer, and that bothered him a great deal. It bothered him so much that he decided that lunch wasn’t really worthwhile, and instead he headed out into the Crystarium. It would be best to walk it off, he thought, especially if he was going to spend time with Ryne- she’d _know,_ and that was unfair. This was a burden that was best carried by him alone, at least until he had enough time to work through it and speak seriously with G’raha about it. The past couple of days had been wonderful, but all in all, not much talking had been done… and there were things they both needed to say. As well, Thancred’s words about hero worship seemed to have wormed their way into his mind and settled in, and he would need to give _that_ its due along with the rest.

Yhen’a found Ryne and Thancred at the Wandering Stairs after walking aimlessly for a while and letting his mind chase its own tail, and plopped down at their table with no further ceremony. “I should have brought my harp,” he mused.

Ryne smiled brightly at him. “It would be nice to hear you play again!” she said. “It’s been…” She trailed off. “Well… it’s been a little while, hasn’t it? Surely you could sing the song about the maiden at sea again!”

It had been before they’d left for Ahm Aerang that he’d sat down to play, when she was still Minfilia and he wasn’t occasionally dropped to his knees with body-wracking pain. They’d all spent a rare night in the Wandering Stairs, and he and Thancred had sang a duet or two before he’d played the song Ryne spoke of- and he was oddly flattered that she remembered it, as it was one of his favorites. He’d written it when he wasn’t much older than she was, he figured. “I will,” he promised. “I’ll see if someone at the Mean has the time and energy to help me make a full-sized harp, too- a _big_ one, one that I’ll have to stand up to play.”

“Would you teach me?” Ryne looked at him with shining eyes, and he suddenly realized just how she’d managed to wrap Thancred so tightly around her little finger. The poor girl hadn’t had a chance at a life, and though there was still more to be done, they were no longer racing against the clock that would spell the destruction of two worlds.

“I’d be glad to.” Yhen’a smiled and nodded, then looked at Thancred and raised an eyebrow. “You’ve not taught her the lute?”

“Oh, here and there,” Thancred replied, taking a swig of whatever was in his mug- water, probably, given his rather morose declaration the morning following the celebration. “We spent most of our time attempting to avoid not only the Eulmorans, but the sin eaters as well. That doesn’t make for a good environment to learn much music. It was mostly when we stopped in Il Mheg that I was able to teach her a chord or two.”

Ryne smiled and nodded. “It’s true,” she said. “I want to learn more on the lute as well. … ah… that is- once we’ve finished what’s coming next.” She glanced toward Lakeland, then looked back at Yhen’a. “I’ve sensed something in the Empty… a large concentration of Light. I don’t believe it’s a Lightwarden, but… well- I suppose I’m not sure. Thancred and I are going to take a look.”

Thancred nodded. “Luckily, the engineers have had a merry time with all the wonders in the Tower,” he said. “There’s a vehicle that is somewhat like a mana cutter that will aid us in traversing the land so we don’t have to walk the whole way. I can’t imagine being in the Empty will do us much good in the long term.”

Yhen’a looked at the two worriedly. He didn’t want to ask, he didn’t _want_ to ask, but… “Do you want me to go with you?”

_Damn_ his sense of responsibility and duty to the lowest hells!

Thankfully, Thancred had his back as promised. “Absolutely not,” he said, affecting a stern voice that was potentially for Ryne’s sake but _probably_ mostly for his. “You’re going to _rest,_ and if that means absconding with the Exarch to the far corners of Norvrandt, so be it. Ryne and I will investigate whatever it is, and _if_ we feel it’s a threat, we’ll contact you.”

Yhen’a let his breath out in what he hoped wasn’t _too_ obviously a sigh of relief, then rolled his eyes good-naturedly. “Very well,” he said, amused. “I’ll be sure to wear my Linkpearl. … occasionally.”

“You do that. I’m going to go get us something to eat.” Thancred rose and headed to the counter, leaving Yhen’a and Ryne alone- but not without a glance back at him that told him he’d best mind his manners.

_Joke’s on you, Thancred… I don’t have any to speak of._

Ryne looked at him worriedly, chewing on her lower lip for a few seconds. “Yhen’a,” she finally said slowly. “Are you… after all you went through- are you doing all right?”

Yhen’a smiled gently. “I am,” he said softly, and he wasn’t lying, not _entirely._ ‘All right’ was a state of mind in which he wasn’t being bent in half by the pressures his title and his deeds put on him, though it didn’t do much for his nerves nor the looming cloud of depression that tended to threaten him when he sat still for too long… but that was a lot to burden a little girl with, even the Oracle of Light. “I’m healing, as we all are. It will take time, but for now- everything is well.”

“Oh, good,” Ryne said, and she looked so relieved that he _almost_ felt bad about skirting the truth. _Almost._ She paused, then spoke hesitantly. “And… and the Exarch-? He’s always been so kind to me, you see- he gives me books to read and he really talks to me about them, like he’s interested in what I think about them!”

How that warmed Yhen’a’s heart, and he added yet another reason to his list of _very, very many_ that they’d brought G’raha home safe and sound. “He’s healing,” he said. “I’ve been stealing him away to make sure he rests. He and I… ah, we’ve been close for a long time- we met on the Source, years ago. He’s not as much of a brat now as he was then, but… still a brat, sometimes.”

“Yhen’a!” Ryne put her hands to her mouth, but her eyes sparkled with laughter. “Is it really all right to speak of him like that?”

“Of course,” Yhen’a replied with a grin. “He’s as human as you and I- and back then he was a year younger than me. He played tricks on me all the time, ran me around the Shroud on a fool’s errand, and was _generally_ arrogant and irritating… but the Sons of Saint Coniach were out of tents, so I had to bunk with him. As I got to know him, well… he’s a good man- truly- but still a man, and still a brat sometimes, as I said.”

Ryne giggled softly. “I can’t imagine him playing tricks on people,” she said. “He’s so serious most of the time!”

“He grew up,” Yhen’a said, and gods, how he wished it hadn’t had to happen like that… G’raha was _rarely_ serious back then. “Have you been to see him yet? I’m sure he’d love to talk to you!”

“Oh, no… not yet.” Ryne shook her head and clasped her hands on the table. “I didn’t want to bother him… he’s so busy, and I know he’s still tired from…” she trailed off and looked down.

“That’s so,” Yhen’a said, keeping his voice carefully warm and gentle, making sure _none_ of his own issues spoke through- thank the Gods for his bardic training. “That doesn’t mean, however, that he won’t want to see you. He’s in meetings for now, but- why not go see him at supper? Take him something to eat! He’ll be thrilled.”

Ryne looked up at him, wide-eyed. “Do you think so? Can I really-?”

“I do, and yes.” Yhen’a smiled and nodded. “There, that’s settled! I’ll make sure he’s in the Ocular when you come to find him.” She looked thrilled- good, he thought, she needed a boost, and so did G’raha.

That, however, left Yhen’a at loose ends, and so when supper rolled around, he wandered aimlessly through the Crystarium and tried _hard_ not to think too much… and, for the most part, failed. He couldn’t help the nagging voice in the back of his mind that said something wasn’t quite as it ought to have been. The only thing that would fix it was to speak with G’raha about it, and he certainly planned to… as soon as he figured out _how._ He didn’t even know where to begin, and that was the worst part. He sighed to himself as he wandered, and finally found himself a comfortable spot beneath a tree. Nothing good ever came of worrying, he told himself, and so he took out his composition book and hoped it would serve as a good enough distraction to pass the time.

As it turned out, it did- so good, in fact, that it was nearly two bells later when he looked up. He looked at the sky in surprise, then put the book away and jumped up, hurrying back to the Tower. He didn’t think G’raha would worry about him, but he didn’t want to take the risk- and besides, he’d _much_ rather be with his lover than sitting outside alone writing maudlin songs that would never see the light of day. It was probably his imagination, he told himself, and he’d find out for sure very soon- he jogged up the stairs to the Dossal Gate and smiled as the gatekeep waved him in, then headed up toward the portal leading to their chambers.

G’raha was curled up in an armchair in the sitting room, reading a book and looking perfectly content. He looked up when Yhen’a came through the portal and smiled, ears wiggling just a little- _Menphina,_ but he was darling! “Yhen’a,” he said happily, his voice warm and welcoming. “There you are- I wondered where you’d gotten off to.”

“Keeping myself busy while Ryne visited you, mainly,” Yhen’a replied with a light grin, walking over and putting his hands on the arm of the chair as he leaned down to give G’raha a kiss. The room was very warm, he noted, and it was _very_ welcome with the slight chill in the air outside- and, of course, the Tower itself.

G’raha kissed him back enthusiastically, settling his hands on his shoulders and then looked at him curiously. “You could have joined us,” he said. “We didn’t discuss much of import- she was worried about me, which was kind of her, but- unnecessary, now that we’re back in the Crystarium. Otherwise, we spent most of the time talking about books.”

Yhen’a chuckled. “A subject I can’t really weigh in on,” he said, drawing back with one last kiss to his forehead. “I worked on a couple of new songs, but nothing I’m overly enamored with.”

“I’d like to hear them,” G’raha said, sounding almost wistful. He paused, then smiled and scooted to the side a bit- the armchair was easily big enough for both of them. “Join me?” he asked hopefully, ears perked forward.

“Of course.” Yhen’a paused to step out of his boots, then sat down and smiled as G’raha immediately tucked himself against his body. He wrapped his arms around his smaller lover- though not smaller by _that_ much, still enough to give Yhen’a a teasing sense of satisfaction that he was no longer the shortest miqo’te he’d seen- and held him close, relaxing as he breathed in the comforting, familiar scent of him. “Been curled up here for a while, have you?”

G’raha chuckled quietly. “A little while,” he agreed. “The Tower is always so cold, so I probably overreact to that when warming these rooms, but…” He trailed off, then shivered just a little. “I’d thought about grabbing one of the furs, but since you’re here… I think you can keep me warm nicely, don’t you?”

Yhen’a frowned a little. “Raha- you’re cold?” he asked worriedly.

“Oh… just a little.” G’raha looked up at him and smiled. “It’s nothing- don’t look so worried! It’s still cool in here, as I’ve not been here overlong.” He brushed his white-tipped tail lightly against Yhen’a’s arm.

The frown deepened, and Yhen’a shook his head. “Raha- it’s _hot_ in here. It feels good, I’m not complaining, but- any hotter and I’m going to start sweating.”

G’raha blinked, then lifted his head and looked around before holding his left hand out. “It is?” he finally asked. “Ah… well, then- it’s likely because I’m still recovering. As you know, the Tower is regenerating my aether and my body, and given that it’s always very cold… that’s likely why I feel that way as well.”

Yhen’a blinked. That _did_ make sense, when he thought on it… but he’d not been cold when they’d lain together. “Really?” he finally asked suspiciously.

“Really.” G’raha looked at him with a soft, gentle smile. “Your worry is appreciated, truly… but- it’s not necessary.” He snuggled closer to him and hummed happily. “I must say, though… it’s- nice, to be fussed over a little.”

“Lyna fusses over you constantly,” Yhen’a pointed out. “In fact, she came _with_ you in Holminster Switch because she was so worried that you’d be harmed.” And, he recalled, G’raha had brushed her off- gently, kindly, but without any argument as to what he meant to do. His frown deepened as he realized that the scenarios were too close for comfort. “_Raha._ You’re hiding something from me.”

G’raha tensed, then drew away and looked down at his hands before rising from the chair. “Will nothing I say make you believe me?” He turned to face Yhen’a, a stricken expression on his face. “I told everyone I would not rest until I could send them home, and I have been working on such a solution. Perhaps I’ve been pushing myself too hard, but I promise you, I’m well enough!”

Yhen’a’s first instinct was to leap up off of the chair, to pull him close and apologize- but he stamped it out mercilessly, staying right where he was. After so very long of hiding from everyone, of concealing himself and his thoughts and his plans, it was likely second nature to him- and, thus, perhaps not his fault that he felt compelled to do so even still. “What is it you’ve been doing?” he asked quietly.

G’raha pinned his ears to his skull and turned away. “It’s complicated,” he said flatly. “It has to do with the portal and the aetheric composition, and if I can just get the tuning right-!” His tail lashed back and forth, betraying his agitation as surely as his ears did… but Yhen’a could see him trembling, and he knew- he _hoped_\- he wasn’t _that_ angry.

Now that a moment had passed and he’d gotten an answer that wasn’t evasive, Yhen’a pushed himself up from the chair and walked over to his love, gently settling his hands on his shoulders. G’raha jumped a malm and then seemed to curl in on himself a little, and the Keeper closed his eyes briefly- had he been too hard on him, after all they’d been through? Gods, but it was _hard_ to navigate this, they barely knew one another… but giving up wasn’t in his nature, and he slowly, carefully began to massage the tension out of his shoulders- as best he could on his right side, in any case. “So that’s why the Tower is making you feel cold, why you’re still so tired,” he murmured. “You keep pushing yourself right back to where you were, trying to find a way to send everyone home… and that’s why we’ve not left yet.”

“How can I do something I’ve dreamed of when I’m keeping everyone else from their own?” G’raha’s voice was soft, shaking. “They’ve lost so many years because of me, and though I know they consider it well worth it- I do, too- they were meant to go home after I teleported myself into the Rift. It’s my responsibility to fix this, and I can’t… I can’t bring myself to…”

“… to be happy?” Yhen’a asked quietly. G’raha’s ears tucked tighter against his hair, and the tension came right back.

“What happiness I’ve found in the Crystarium with you has been far more than I ever thought I would have,” G’raha replied. “It… for now, it… it’s enough.”

Yhen’a pressed his lips together in a thin line. It wasn’t enough, and he knew that- it made him angry to hear him say it as though it was all he deserved. “Is it really?” he asked quietly. G’raha tensed further, but Yhen’a tightened his grip before he could pull away. “What do _you_ want, Raha?”

G’raha blinked, looked back at him in disbelief. “What do _I_ want?” he repeated, as though he couldn’t quite understand why Yhen’a had asked him something that seemed so _obvious._ “I want to undo all the upheaval I’ve caused, to send your friends home so that they can continue their mission on the Source-!”

“For the wars yet un-won?” Yhen’a’s voice was quiet, and he let go of his own volition- and G’raha turned to face him, looking up at him with a pleading expression. “What about what _they_ want? Did you ask them?”

G’raha blinked, his lips parted in surprise. “I…”

“I’ll take that as a no.” Yhen’a shook his head, pushed his hand through his hair- his own ears were pinned back, and he had to make a conscious effort to lift them a little. “While you slept this morning, I spoke with Thancred- he joined us a little while before you woke. The idea of leaving Ryne behind is tearing him to pieces. The others, well- they aren’t even_ here_. What does that tell you about their priorities?”

The Seeker’s lower lip quivered. “But I-!”

“No buts, Raha!” Yhen’a gestured angrily, making G’raha flinch a little- and he instantly regretted it. He put his hands in front of his chest in a gesture of peace, took a breath and softened his voice. “All of them have things they want to do here, still. They have people they’ve come to care for, to _love…_ causes to fight for, goals to work for. It is true that we will eventually have to return, that the Empire isn’t just going to stop bothering with us just because we wish they would, but gods, Raha, we’re all _happy_ here- and we want you to be happy, too!” Ruby eyes filled with tears, but Yhen’a continued- he needed to _say_ this, and Menphina help him, but G’raha needed to _hear_ it. “You told me atop the Tower just days ago that you wanted to remember more of who you were. I’ve seen the way you look at me, the way you study me- you’ve given all of yourself to this, your very _life_ to this, and now that you have the chance to have what you wanted most, you won’t take it?”

G’raha’s breath hitched, and he bowed his head as he wrapped his arms around his middle. “I’m _selfish,_ Yhen’a,” he breathed. “I did all of this for those I left behind when I woke, for my people here, for the Source, but _you_ were first and foremost in my mind… and I realized, somewhere along the way, that time had stolen you from me just as surely as it stole G’raha Tia, and I-!” He shook his head, gritting his teeth around a sob. “I can’t continue to be selfish, not when more lives are counting on me to make things right! It was easy enough when my end goal was saving you, because that was meant to be the _end_ of it, but now there are no answers and I just…! I _can’t…!_”

_Truly- I’m selfish when it comes to him._

Yhen’a let his breath out and pulled G’raha into his arms, held on tight as he cried. “Raha,” he murmured. “We _are_ leaving tomorrow- I’m going to take you from this place before you work yourself into an early grave, and _no,_ that won’t solve anything, so _don’t_ say it!” He tightened his grip further, and G’raha melted against him, wrapped his arms around his waist and clung to him. “No more feeling guilty for what you want, no more feeling guilty for being happy! You’ve done _enough, _it’s _enough!_” His voice finally broke, and he clenched his jaw so tight it nearly hurt. “None of us want to see you hurt yourself, Raha, and you’re so _cold-!_”

G’raha wept for a bit longer, leaned heavily against him as his tears slowed. He said nothing for a little while- but so long as the words were sinking in, Yhen’a didn’t care. When he finally did speak up, his voice was small, and hearing him like that made his heart ache. “Will… will you still warm me, after I misled you-?”

“Always,” Yhen’a murmured. “Come on. It’s time for you to go to sleep.” He felt exhausted as well, but far better than he had before. Getting the truth out of his stubborn lover had been taxing, albeit _necessary,_ and he was irritated with himself for not realizing that G’raha wasn’t really improving. He picked G’raha up just as he had earlier, though with far different intent this time- and G’raha merely tucked himself close, a sweet weight against him as he walked into their bedroom and gently set him down on the bed. “Let me,” he said softly when G’raha reached up to undo the clasps of his robe- he undressed him carefully, set each layer aside as opposed to tossing it wherever it happened to land, and tucked him between soft sheets and warm, heavy blankets.

G’raha watched him with a sleepy half-smile as he undressed as well, and snuggled close to him again when he slipped into the bed. He was going to be uncomfortably hot, he feared, but he didn’t care- especially when he felt G’raha relax in his arms as he fell asleep. It would take far more than a few pretty words and a few days to change things, but Yhen’a was determined- and even when a solution was found and the Scions went home, _he_ would return whenever he could. For the time being none of it needed to be worried on, so Yhen’a closed his eyes and thought instead about the cove he planned to take G’raha to, about how good it would be to see him truly recovered from their ordeal.

He’d deal with the rest when he had to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to all of you as always for your time in reading this! :D and thanks especially to AuroraRayne, who's let me bounce ideas and thoughts off of them left and right, and who also read over this chapter to make sure the NyQuil I'm on didn't completely jack things up. Thankfully it did not :D;;


	6. Peace and Quiet | Explicit

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope the ending doesn't seem too awkward- if I'd kept going on with what I've got planned, it would've been twice as long easily, so... maybe call this chapter 6A or something. :D;;; 
> 
> I hope you enjoy it, and as always, thank you so much for reading!

When morning came, Yhen’a woke slowly. He felt bleary and still very tired, but he’d at least not been jerked awake by a nightmare before the sun rose- in fact, the sun was already over the horizon. He closed his eyes again and burrowed beneath the blankets, then paused and cautiously stuck one ear back out. G’raha, it seemed, had already gotten up for the day… which was strange, given that he’d preferred to linger abed with him, even if all they did was share a few sleepy kisses and cuddled for a while before reluctantly getting out of bed. He sighed a little, his ear tucking back beneath the blankets as he pinned it to his head- the Seeker was probably upset with him for how he’d acted the night before. He’d have to apologize- he’d reacted badly, and he hadn’t meant to scare him. What a pair they made, he thought wryly… but, they’d figure it out and stumble through. He wasn’t about to let him go.

When he finally began contemplating getting up, a gentle weight settled onto the bed next to him and mismatched hands took the edge of the blanket, drawing it back with a curious expression that quickly changed to amusement- and then worry. “Yhen’a- did you have another nightmare?”

“No,” Yhen’a said quickly, not wanting G’raha to even _start_ to feel bad about that possibility. “No, nothing like that, I just…” He huffed out a sigh and mashed his face into the pillow, then pushed himself up onto his knees and looked at G’raha with a faint, wry smile. “I was contemplating what an ass I was last night, that’s all.”

G’raha sighed and tucked himself against him, tucking his legs up and shaking his head. “You were upset,” he said quietly, “not deliberately trying to do me harm. There’s a big difference… and besides- I lied to you. You were right to be upset with me.” His ears drooped, and he tucked his tail close to his body.

Yhen’a automatically reached out and stroked the soft, russet fur, smiled as his tail flicked a bit beneath his hand and then draped itself gently around his hip. “We were both wrong, then,” he said, “but…” His smile faded. “I don’t ever want to make you cry, Raha…”

“You didn’t.” G’raha smiled sadly and shook his head. “I was exhausted and overwrought- it wasn’t your fault.” He drew back and tilted his chin a bit to nose at his cheek. “Yhen’a… I know I’m not going to be able to change your mind about leaving, but I…” He trailed off. “Please- don’t think it’s because I don’t want to go with you. I do, more than _anything, _I just… I feel badly about what’s happened, about what I’ve left unfinished, and I don’t know how to handle that. I don’t… I don’t know what to do with myself- I didn’t expect to _be_ here. All this time I’ve had a clear purpose, a clear goal, and now- well…”

“You’re worth more than that, you know,” Yhen’a murmured. G’raha looked at him in surprise, and he lifted a hand to draw his fingertips along the crystal on his cheek. “You’re dear to us, to all of us_-_ you aren’t disposable. We all care about you… we all want you to be happy, because _we_ are. We’re happy that we won, that the war is over… that you’re here with us.” He bit his lip, then shook his head. “If… if you’d succeeded on Mt. Gulg, I can tell you for certain that not one single one of us would have counted it a victory.”

G’raha was silent for a few breaths, studying the soft blanket beneath them. “When first I closed the Tower- and then when I woke without you… for the first time, I hated my heritage with a passion. I felt that the Allagan eye was a curse, not a gift- a burden I raged against, even as I knew I had no choice but to accept it. I could barely look at my own reflection… you told me you thought my eyes were beautiful, and, well- I didn’t see them that way, especially with both of them now being red. I felt I had lost something dear… something you had admired, for the _first_ time… someone admired them instead of considering me strange.” He looked at him and smiled faintly. “Of course, when they led me right back to you and gave me the chance to save your life, I dropped to my knees and thanked Azeyma for them- for the blood I had once hated, which I had come to understand.”

Yhen’a studied him for a second, then smiled and touched their noses together. “Your eyes are still beautiful, you know,” he murmured- and he laughed a little when they widened in surprise. “I’m not just saying that, so don’t think it!” He softened, drew his fingertips up the crystal and resting them lightly at the corner of his eye. “Trust me, I’ve done my fair share of giving thanks for your eyes, too… in that they’re looking at me now, because you’re _alive._ … ah, no, don’t cry!”

“I’m sorry,” G’raha mumbled, reaching up to wipe at his eyes- but Yhen’a beat him to it, gently brushing the tears away as they formed in the corner of his eyes. “I’m a disaster- this I know. All that I’ve been through, the weight of all the years… it is easy enough to pretend all is well for everyone else, but when it comes to you, I never have been able to.” He gave Yhen’a a weak, watery smile. “Thus, the oranges you gathered for me back then. You saw right through me.”

“Does that bother you?” Yhen’a asked quietly, looking at him intently. He didn’t want G’raha to say yes, he didn’t want him to view them as _anything less_ than absolute equals- titles and battles and traumas alike, it didn’t matter to him one bit. If giving up the path he walked would guarantee him a happy, peaceful future with G’raha… well- it scared him a little, the thought of how very quickly he would do so.

G’raha leaned against him and shook his head slightly. “No,” he murmured. “It… feels good to have someone who knows me like you do, even as it is also somewhat terrifying.”

Yhen’a wrapped his arms around him and held him close, then dropped one hand to stroke his tail again, which made him smile and tuck it closer around his hips. “We’ll learn as we go,” he said softly. “I promise.” G’raha seemed perfectly content to stay right where he was, and so Yhen’a hummed softly to him and smiled as he felt the tension drain out of him.

After a moment, G’raha drew back and smiled up at him. “I love you, Yhen’a,” he said softly. “I fear you’re going to get tired of hearing me say it, but I can’t help it- I can’t even begin to help it, not after all this. That you’ve been willing to put up with me throughout your time here and then just in the immediate past is nothing short of miraculous, given what I remember about you and your lack of patience for foolishness.”

That made him snort, and Yhen’a flashed him a grin. “Yes, well, apparently I’m a glutton for punishment.” He kissed the Seeker lightly on the forehead, then the tip of his nose. “I love you, too, Raha- and I’ll _never_ get sick of hearing you tell me so.” He smiled and gave him a gentle squeeze. “Come on- let’s get dressed and head out. I’ve a plan for the afternoon, you know!”

G’raha looked at him in surprise, then blushed. “W-well, I suppose I shouldn’t delay us, then, should I? Pray give me a moment to change into something more suitable for travel, and… and then we can go.”

Yhen’a grinned and flicked his ears, feeling a giddy sort of excitement welling up in his chest. “Good,” he said cheerfully. “That’s what I wanted to hear.” He kissed him again, then drew back and hopped up, stretching luxuriantly before going to fetch his own clothes for the day. “It’s a bit of a walk to get to where we’re going in Lakeland,” he said, looking over his shoulder with a bright smile. “In fact, we can… well, sort of see it from here, we can see the mountain it’s behind.” He gestured out toward the south, and G’raha walked over to him after he’d pulled his trousers on.

“What’s over there?” he asked curiously, ears perked all the way forward.

“You’ll see when we get there.” Yhen’a grinned at him, and he pouted before kissing him on the cheek and returning to his wardrobe. Thankfully it didn’t take him long to get ready- as he strapped his bow to his back, G’raha came out into the sitting room and smiled faintly. “Well… what do you think?”

Yhen’a’s jaw dropped. “Oh,” he finally said faintly. G’raha wore a sweeping red coat, trimmed with gold and black. The ends were detailed in fine golden patterns, trailing up to black at the waist, and then arching upward into a double-breasted top with golden buttons up either side and a golden brooch at his throat. It had long sleeves as well, short at the wrist and flaring out over his hands, a high collar, and what looked to be black armguards of a sort. With it he wore black gloves that left his index fingers and thumbs free, black trousers, and knee-high black boots. “You look stunning,” he finally managed, completely and entirely at a loss for words.

G’raha blushed and put his hands behind his back. “During my many walks through the Tower, I happened upon these and set them aside thinking I would wear them in place of my robes, but, well… I didn’t, seeing as how there’s no hood on the jacket. Now, though…” He smiled warmly. “Now I’m free to do so- and seeing as how you like it so much, I believe I will.”

Yhen’a grinned and put a hand on his hip. “Well,” he said, “you’re not going to hear any complaints from me on the subject.” He slowly walked over to him and drew his fingertips lightly down the front of the coat, then gave him a soft kiss- and really, it was intended to be brief, but there was too much fire between them for that. By the time it broke, he was laughing breathlessly as G’raha nipped at his lips and growled softly at him as he drew back. “_Raha,_ we’re never going to get out of here at this rate-!”

G’raha sighed, then smiled sheepishly and straightened his coat before nodding. “That’s true,” he admitted. “Very well… I’ll endeavor to resist temptation a bit longer. Besides, you’ve not had a chance to eat breakfast yet, and you must be starving.”

“I’m fine,” Yhen’a replied with a warm smile. “We’ll eat when we get there- we can pick a few things up along the way, but… well, this ties into my plan for the afternoon, and I don’t want to spoil the surprise!” His ears flicked happily, and he smiled to see G’raha perk further, obviously very curious. “Shall we take the rest of the oranges?”

“Yes!” G’raha paused, then cleared his throat and blushed. “There’s only two left, and I… well- last night while you slept, I slipped away to plant the seeds.” He slowly walked over to the basket where he’d put the oranges and picked one up, then looked at Yhen’a with a warm smile.

Yhen’a chuckled and retrieved the other one, then gave him a light kiss on the cheek before drawing back and winking. “Well,” he said, “we’ll see soon enough whether or not they’ll grow!” He _truly_ hoped they would.

It only took a little while longer to coax G’raha out of the Tower, and thence out of the Crystarium once the supplies he’d mentioned were procured. Yhen’a was both dedicated and determined, and the more G’raha seemed to realize that he genuinely wasn’t furiously upset with him, the happier he became. Being away from all of it would help soothe their ragged nerves, and would afford them the chance to _truly_ get to know one another after all their years apart. Yhen’a, for his part, wanted nothing more- and he was more than ready to sit back and enjoy, now that the worst of the danger had passed them by. The weather couldn’t have been more perfect, either, with the blue sky and fluffy clouds above them, the comfortable breeze- Yhen’a felt positively giddy, and he swept G’raha up into a tight hug and a kiss once they were well on the path toward the lake.

G’raha laughed happily and chased after him when he teasingly ducked away and beckoned him further, and when he caught up he was rewarded with another kiss before Yhen’a took his hand and laced their fingers together. “I don’t know that I’ve seen you this happy before,” G’raha mused, eyes shining. “I should have done my utmost to see it sooner.”

“You make me happy,” Yhen’a replied, laughing softly and squeezing his hand. His smile softened, then, and he looked up at the sky. “… and, honestly- this is as much a dream of mine as it is of yours. I wanted to take you all over Eorzea, to show you all of my favorite places- to the Shroud, to the beach, even to Coerthas to play in the snow.” He grinned wryly and flicked his ears. “Even though I hate being cold.”

G’raha blushed, ears falling back just a little. “You’re sweet, Yhen’a,” he murmured. “I wanted that, too… I admit I still do. It’s more than enough to have this chance here in Norvrandt, though it seems the only similarity we’ll have to what you wanted to show me is in Rak’tika. … I suppose the beaches in Kholusia will begin seeing more use now that the tides have returned to normal, though- so perhaps we could go find out.”

Yhen’a brightened. “Oh, that’s a great idea,” he said happily. “We can head that way once we’re done in Rak’tika, if you like.” From what he recalled of the beaches they certainly weren’t awful, but they were desolate… and the stench of the dead water had sent him scurrying as far from them as he could get. His smile became just a little shy when he thought on the fact that it was because of _their_ work that the beaches would once again be useable- it still seemed so hard to believe.

"I would,” G’raha replied, his voice warm. “I will likely need a little while in proximity to the Tower ere I can venture far without curling up in the nearest sunbeam at a moment’s notice…” He trailed off and bit his lip, then sighed and looked at Yhen’a with a faint smile. “Forgive me. I…”

Yhen’a shook his head and squeezed his hand. “There’s nothing to forgive, Raha,” he said gently. “You… again- you had our best interests at heart. Now, though, I’m going to teach you how to live for yourself, and _remind_ you that you are as human as I am.”

G’raha squeezed his hand in return, smiling softly. “Thank you,” he said quietly. “Keep reminding me- I fear I’ll need it, having lived so long with the front that I am invulnerable to such things. I don’t… I don’t want to live that way anymore, especially not with you- and yet I don’t want you to worry over me, either. It’s a balance I’ll have to find as time goes on, I fear.”

“You’ll find it,” Yhen’a promised. “You will. I’ll be plenty patient with you, Raha… I’m- well, I need to find that balance, too, and especially given the sorry state you’ve seen me in when I drag myself back from whatever battle or problem I’ve gotten myself involved in.”

“You do seem to find a lot of those,” G’raha said with a soft, amused hum. “… but no matter where anyone looks, they won’t find a greater hero than you. I am honored to know you… honored, that you chose me.”

Yhen’a smiled softly at him and shook his head. “I chose you from the moment I saw you,” he said. “I just didn’t realize it until a little later.” A little too late, he thought, but he shoved it out of his mind and turned his attention instead where it belonged- the _present._ “Not much further, it’s just along this shoreline… and then I’ll have you _all_ to myself.” He looked at G’raha with a grin that showed just a hint of fang, and G’raha promptly blushed.

The place he’d found was a small cove, well-sheltered and secluded from the rest of Lakeland- in fact, it was only really visible from the lake itself, or from above. There were enough trees to make the latter less of an issue, and the former, well… probably, nobody would sail close enough to recognize them. He hoped, anyway. It was deep enough that they could be fairly far from shore as well, and he presumed that would be where they’d set up their camp. G’raha’s lips parted in shock when he saw the cove, and he looked up at Yhen’a before looking back at the sight before him. “This is beautiful,” he breathed. “I had no idea it was even here!”

“I doubt it was worth visiting until the Light was gone,” Yhen’a said, shaking his head a little. “But, now that you _do_ know about it… this can be our secret hideaway.” He grinned and nosed at G’raha’s temple, then laughed when G’raha gave him an enthusiastic kiss in response. “I take it you like the idea!”

“I do,” G’raha said, ears wiggling as he smiled happily. “I like it very much.” He took Yhen’a’s hand and tugged him into the cove, and with another laugh, Yhen’a followed along after him. “Ah, look how _beautiful_ it is! There are flowers everywhere, and is- is that a _waterfall_? This is something out of a storybook!”

Yhen’a laughed warmly. “A small one, courtesy of a spring above- and yes, I thought so too.” He paused, then grinned impishly and took G’raha’s hands, then pulled him close. “It _is_ something out a storybook- _ours._”

G’raha’s eyes widened a little in surprise, then he laughed softly and tipped his head up for a kiss. “Ours,” he agreed. “Thank you, Yhen’a… you’ve clearly put a great deal of thought into this. Truly… to travel with you, see the world with you- that _is_ important to me, but as well… I want- I want to be alone with you, to learn who you are now. I want to trace your scars, to hear your stories, to remind you that you are loved- _so_ loved…” He trailed off, then kissed him again, deeper this time- with nobody who might wander by and see, it seemed he felt bolder than he had before. “I know it’s selfish, but if you are going to encourage me to be- and so it seems you are, well… then I should like to be just Yhen’a and Raha- to forget the Warrior of Darkness and the Crystal Exarch for a time.”

“I want the same,” Yhen’a said fervently. “That’s _all_ I want.” He smiled and kissed him once more, shivered a little as soft lips parted against his own- ah, it would be _hard_ to resist, but then again… why bother? “I’ll take the years from you,” he breathed against G’raha’s mouth, making him melt against him and fist his hands in the back of his jacket. “I’ll lift every single one and toss it by the wayside, until it’s just you and me as we were back then… _unafraid._”

G’raha gasped faintly and pushed him back against the tree nearest to them, pressed tightly against him, and every line of their bodies fell perfectly into place. Yhen’a’s vision narrowed sharply, the flowers and the little waterfall and everything else fading into a soft blur as he focused on the heat in G’raha’s hands and the gentle press of his hips. He wound his arms around him and clutched him close, and G’raha kissed him fiercely- he barely drew back when they both had to gasp for air, unwilling to lose the taste of him for more than was absolutely necessary- and Yhen’a was utterly dizzied by it. “My hero,” he breathed back, “my inspiration- my _love…_ I would give anything for you to do as you say you will.”

“Oh, I plan on it,” Yhen’a replied, clutching G’raha close and scattering kisses across his face as the Seeker’s tail wound around his hips. “I’ll do that and more, I swear… when I’m finished with you, you’ll think you’ve seen the stars in the midst of the afternoon.” G’raha whined softly and tipped his head back, and Yhen’a trailed hot, open-mouthed kisses along his jaw and beneath, where crystal met flesh, then to his throat. Every sound he made vibrated pleasantly against Yhen’a’s mouth, and he smiled to himself as he lingered there, lapped at the pulse that fluttered in the hollow and then gently nuzzled the crystal right next to it. “You’re beautiful, Raha,” he murmured. “You’re _so_ beautiful…”

G’raha drew his fingers through Yhen’a’s hair, leaning heavily against him and breathing unevenly. “I… s-so long as you believe it to be true…”

“I do,” Yhen’a murmured, pressing a soft kiss to the crystal before mouthing at the edge again, dragging his tongue against it before letting his fangs follow, which made G’raha moan and tip his head back further. Yhen’a was more or less all that held him up at this point, but he didn’t care- he loved the weight of him in his arms, the way he melted and silently begged for more… he’d happily do this for bells. “I’ll always believe it- then, and now.”

Letting out a trembling breath, G’raha drew back and framed his face with his hands, then touched their noses together. “How did I get so lucky…?” He smiled shakily and brushed a kiss against the corner of Yhen’a’s mouth, hands dropping to his waist before coming to rest on the small of his back. “I’m so grateful to have you, to have what I wanted _so_ badly back then, even though things have changed- _I_ have changed, I…”

“Shh.” Yhen’a kissed him softly, then deeper, smiled against his lips as he melted against him all over again. “I mean it- then _and_ now, not in spite of who you are but _because_ of who you are.” He drew his hands forward and gently began working at the buttons of his coat, leaning down as he did to kiss the skin he bared, which made G’raha’s breath hitch. They had all the time in the world and he planned on taking every single second of it in doing what he’d promised, and so he lingered with each ilm bared, exploring him as if he’d never had him before. He pressed hot, open-mouthed kisses to soft skin and warm crystal alike, and G’raha rested one hand on his shoulder and stroked his ears lightly with the other, which sent delightful tingles clear down to the tip of his tail. The soft noises he made spurred him onward, though his pace remained languid- he lingered in spots where his mouth earned a reaction, be it a faint gasp or a shiver or anything in between, taking his sweet time and watching G’raha slowly, slowly begin to unravel beneath his touch.

With a mischievous look that made ruby eyes widen, Yhen’a knelt and continued parting the coat until it hung open, ghosting kisses over his flat stomach that made him gasp faintly and clutch at his shoulder. The look he gave G’raha next was smoldering, _promising,_ and he caught one of the laces of his trousers between his teeth. G’raha’s pupils blew wide as he stared down at him, and though he wasn’t quite talented enough to unlace them that way, he made a good show of it until he had to use his hands- and by then, the Seeker was trembling hard enough that he worried his legs would just give out. He rose and brushed a kiss against the crystal cutting a path up through his cheek, and G’raha turned his head to catch him in a fiery kiss, earning himself a soft, contented sound in return. Yhen’a reveled in his warmth as he embraced him by slipping his arms beneath his coat, in the press of his body and the way his breath came short and sharp against his mouth when the kiss broke.

“Yhen’a,” G’raha breathed, nudging their noses together as he let the coat fall from his shoulders to land forgotten on the grass beneath them. “Oh, _Twelve,_ I want you-!” He lifted his right hand to cup his jaw and kissed him again, and Yhen’a’s head spun as G’raha licked into his mouth and pulled him closer, _tighter_. It was certainly hard to come up with any reasons as to why he _shouldn’t_ push him to the grass and have him right then, at least in the heat of the moment, but Yhen’a tempered himself- there was more he wanted to do, more he wanted to share with him.

“Mmh,” Yhen’a managed when the kiss broke, then laughed quietly and rested his forehead against G’raha’s. The Seeker was _ever_ so slightly taller than him, but it was close enough as not to matter- especially like this. “You tempt me,” he breathed, “but I’m not even close to finished with you. I told you I’d make you forget, and Menphina help me, I _will._”

“Forget what?” G’raha mumbled, stealing another kiss before sighing as Yhen’a’s hands dropped to rest on his hips. “Mm, so warm… you’re _always_ so warm… ah-!” He gasped as Yhen’a mischievously dragged his fingertips beneath the waistband of his trousers, then he knelt in front of him again and pressed a warm kiss right beneath his navel, where red hair traced a tantalizing path down beneath the fabric. How _anyone_ could look at this man and not find him _stunningly_ beautiful was beyond him, but then again, Yhen’a was very content with the fact that this sight was his alone.

The next item on his list to remove were the boots the Seeker wore, supple leather with enough of a heel to give him a bit more height. Those came undone easily, and he bore G’raha’s weight with no struggle as he tugged first one off, and then the other, before tossing them aside and reaching upward. He hooked his fingers in G’raha’s waistband again and grinned at him, tail tracing a mischievous path through the air behind him, and the way he _blushed-_ keeping hold of his self-control was becoming markedly more difficult. Rising up on his knees, he continued the treatment he’d begun with the coat, inching his trousers down and mouthing at his hip before slipping his hands around him and dragging them down the back of his thighs, then up again. “Lay down,” Yhen’a said quietly, and G’raha obeyed without hesitation, laying down in the soft grass and staring up at the leaves above. The light filtered through them and left the most incredible patterns on his skin, and Yhen’a couldn’t help but chase the shadows as the leaves rustled, trailing kisses all over his torso before drawing back down once more and slowly, methodically pulling his trousers down and off.

Slowly kissing up the inside of his thigh, Yhen’a lapped at the delicate skin before sucking hard enough to leave a mark, which earned him a breathy cry and hands buried in his hair. Content that he’d been thorough, he took pity on him- he’d waited this long, after all, and he’d been patient. Yhen’a drew his tongue up the underside of his length, taking him in hand and tasting him hot and bright on his tongue. G’raha arched beneath him, a groan that sounded nearly like a growl rumbling in his chest, and Yhen’a decided he liked that sound _very_ much and wanted to hear _more_ of it. While G’raha was sufficiently distracted and well beyond saying anything coherent that would be repeatable in polite company, Yhen’a uncorked the vial of oil he’d tucked into his pocket, carefully slicking his fingers and reaching between his legs to tease his entrance. G’raha spread his legs further and shuddered, half-broken moans and cries spilling from him as Yhen’a slowly pressed a finger inside of him, slowly drove him to the very brink of madness.

It seemed, Yhen’a thought with a bit of smug pleasure, that he’d been successful thus far in that he’d set out to do.

When he drew back to undress, G’raha pushed himself up onto his elbows, then sat up and growled as he batted Yhen’a’s hands out of the way. He swiftly removed the cloth top he wore, then unlaced his breeches and pushed them down past his hips- that, it seemed, was good enough for him at the moment. He’d left his thus-far submissive partner wanting too long, and G’raha had clearly had enough- Yhen’a barely had time to open his mouth and speak to him before he found himself shoved to his back and G’raha straddling his hips. His eyes opened wide and he went to bid him wait, that it might hurt if he rushed, but even had he managed… he didn’t think the Seeker would have bothered. He closed his eyes and his brows came together as G’raha sank down on him, and he pushed himself up onto his elbows as G’raha pitched forward, trembling finely. “Raha-?”

“Mn…” G’raha took a slow breath, tail swishing back and forth over Yhen’a’s legs. “I… will be the one who makes _you_ forget, now.” He lifted his head and looked at Yhen’a with a half-smile that managed to be warm and mischievous all at once, and unable to resist, Yhen’a reached up and tugged the tie out of his hair and ran his hands through it. G’raha allowed this for a moment, then took his hands and laced their fingers together, slowly lowering Yhen’a’s to rest next to his head as he leaned forward. “I’ll banish the years you suffered, take them from you and scatter them to the winds- ah…!”

Yhen’a hadn’t known it was possible to fall further in love with him, but he found out then and there that it _was,_ and he fell with G’raha’s name on his lips and his hands clasped tight. He made a quiet sound, then another as his lover slowly pushed himself up, just a little- small movements at first, at least for a few breaths. “Ah… Raha, you-!” Whatever he was going to say next went straight out of his mind when G’raha drew all the way back and then took him in all the way again, and leaning over him as he was, it was _incredible-_ he loved the weight on his hands, even knowing that his left was likely to be bruised because of the crystal. He let himself get lost in it, felt himself shiver from head to toe as his tail wound around G’raha’s, and he arched again and let out a sharp breath. “Raha… _Raha-!_”

Time stood still and raced all at once, and all Yhen’a saw was beautiful crimson eyes looking into his own. He lifted his knees to give himself leverage, meeting him thrust for thrust, and he smiled when G’raha cried out and seemed to melt for a second, sagging a bit and resting his forehead against Yhen’a’s- again and again, with each roll of his hips, G’raha shook and keened. “Yhen’a,” he managed. “Yhen_’a!_”

“Let me… _Raha,_ let go- I want to hold you!” Yhen’a gasped a little when G’raha moved to brace himself on his forearms, and then smiled happily and wrapped his arms around him, held on tight and murmured in his ear how beautiful he was, how _perfect-_ and when he lost command of himself and shook all over, Yhen’a smiled and held him all the closer. It was just a moment more before he felt his own control slipping, and he’d never been happier to let go of it- he pulled G’raha into a clumsy kiss, gasped into it and pinned his ears as it vanished entirely… and all he could see was beautiful ruby eyes.

It took him a moment to come back to himself, and when G’raha withdrew and settled back down, he slowly opened his eyes. G’raha smiled at him, then kissed him sweetly. “I love you so much,” he murmured. “You are my everything, Yhen’a. Thank you… for this- for all of this.”

Yhen’a smiled dreamily up at him. “I’m just getting started, you know… so- get used to it. I’ve spent so long missing you, all I want to do right now is spoil you. I swear, Raha… you are a dream come true.”

G’raha blushed fiercely and ducked his head, then looked back at Yhen’a with a helpless smile. “So are you,” he said, “and so it seems we are well-matched.” He kissed him once more, then sat back and took his hands, gently drawing him up and perching on his thighs. “I have spent the last century thinking of you and little else, after all.”

“Hmm, so you have.” Yhen’a grinned and rested their foreheads together, his tail coming to wind around G’raha’s waist. “Thinking of all the ways you could potentially have me, hmm?”

“A- among other things!” G’raha blushed the color of his hair all over again, then laughed and hid his face in Yhen’a’s hair and wrapping his arms around him. “_Insufferable_ Keeper!”

Yhen’a laughed happily and held him tight. “Ah- I love you so much!” It was such a strange feeling, he thought, giddy and dizzying and soft all at once- every time their paths had crossed before, his heart had skipped a beat. It was the most welcome thing he’d ever experienced, and with all the violence inflicted on him… being touched so gently was something he craved.

Once they were dressed again- more or less, Yhen’a only bothered with his trousers and G’raha followed suit- they stretched back out in the shade. G’raha lay sprawled half on top of him, the tip of his tail tapping contentedly against his hip. “Tell me a story?” G’raha asked, his voice soft and wistful. “There’s so much of you I missed… tell me _anything-_ there’s nothing I don’t want to know.”

“A story, huh?” Yhen’a looked up at the leaves and watched as the light danced among them, then chuckled quietly. “You know they all involve some idiot flinging himself into danger and getting the stuffing beaten out of him, don’t you?”

“I suspected as much.” G’raha sounded amused, but he trailed his fingertips down the scar Nidhogg had left on Yhen’a’s right side, shoulder to hip. “… but that idiot is my hero- and I want to know everything about him.”

Yhen’a thought about it for a few breaths. There was _a lot_ he could pick from, of course, but… well, the history books had most of his battles in them, even if the truth was somewhat exaggerated. “Well,” he said slowly, “I told you that my birth parents abandoned me, and the woman who became my mother raised me as her own… no siblings, it’s just me- but my aunts, Tahbe and Midhu, have children.” He smiled warmly. “Tahbe’a and Ahleh are very near to my age- Tahbe’a is two years older, and Ahleh is probably a moon or so younger. They were my siblings, back then.”

G’raha hummed softly. “That sounds lovely,” he said, the wistful tone creeping back into his voice- of course, Yhen’a thought, he’d been scorned as a child, and he winced a bit at his own stupidity. “What are they like?” the Seeker asked, before he could quickly fumble out a change of subject.

“Oh… hm. Tahbe’a grew up to be an arse, I’ll be honest.” Yhen’a sighed and shook his head. “He was always sort of arrogant, but it got worse when we became adults. He boasted on the number of kits he’d sired and always asked how many _I_ had.”

G’raha made an undignified sound somewhere between a snort and a cough. “Well, who won?” he asked, lifting his head and grinning at him with mischief in his eyes.

“What _would_ you do if I told you I’d sired a kit or two?” Yhen’a wondered, but he was grinning back. “He did, of course, seeing as how my count stands at zero- and forever will.” He shrugged. “You know… posturing, using his virility- or his perception thereof- to put himself above. I was disappointed.” He sighed, then smiled. “Ahleh, on the other hand, went on to have a couple of kits herself. I haven’t seen them in a while- they were babies when I left for Doma. She’s an excellent mother. Remind me to buy as many presents as I can carry home for them, next time I have to go back.”

“I will,” G’raha said with a soft chuckle. “Your older cousin, Tahbe’a- it sounds like he’d have been better suited to be the Nunh of a tribe than a wanderer. That sort of attitude is prevalent amongst Seekers… or, at least, where I’m from. I suppose I can’t speak for all.” His ear twitched a little, and when Yhen’a reached up to stroke it, he let out a low groan and went limp in his arms. “Mhn, you… can keep doing that for the rest of the afternoon, I’ll have you know.”

Yhen’a chuckled. “I just might,” he said- G’raha’s other ear was squished against his shoulder, but he’d get to it eventually. “You’re right, though- Tahbe’a missed his calling.” He snorted. “Or perhaps he didn’t, in his mind. I don’t think my aunt is pleased with him.” How angry she’d been, he remembered- especially when Yhen’a’s reputation began to precede him. “My family has always been tight-knit, even the boys have kept in touch better than most. I’m the first who really roamed out and left the Shroud. I had a feeling there was more for me in the world than it could offer, and… as it happens- I was right.” He dragged his nails along the base of G’raha’s ear, and the Seeker shivered before laughing softly.

“I’m honored,” he said, “and that isn’t empty flattery.” G’raha traced the scar again, slower this time, then set about mapping the freckles scattered across his dark skin as he had with the constellations in the Ocular. “So… born in the Shroud, raised there as well, and left home young- gods, how old _were_ you? You were only a year my senior back then!”

“Only?” Yhen’a asked, laughing. “When _is_ your nameday, anyway? I may be more than a year older!” He smiled, looking back up. “As for when I left, I was twenty. I’d already been training with my bow, that’s just when I made it official and joined the archer’s guild… well, and then Hydaelyn decided to say hello, and that was that.”

“You don’t know my nameday?” G’raha lifted a hand to his chest and gave him a look of mock-indignation- but he smiled and flicked his ears. “Ah, I suppose I never did tell you, did I? It doesn’t matter much now, I should think…”

“It does so!” Yhen’a gave him the same sort of look in return. “How am I to be a good lover to you if I can’t spoil you on your nameday? … more than I usually do?”

G’raha chuckled quietly and kissed him on the cheek. “You spoil me plenty,” he said, “but if you _must_ know, it’s the twenty-fourth sun of the Sixth Astral Moon.”

Yhen’a blinked up at the trees, then looked at him in surprise. “As in, _next week?_” he asked in disbelief.

“Ah- is it?” G’raha hummed softly. “Well, well…” His tail flicked lazily, and he smiled. “Luckily for you, you’re already spoiling me, so you won’t have to go to more effort. As for you, _I_ know when _your_ nameday is already.” He smiled faintly. “I marked it every year that went by, at least in as best an approximation as I could, seeing as how time is described differently here.”

“Well,” Yhen’a said with a warm smile, “this year, neither of us will pass our namedays alone- nor Starlight.” He wasn’t entirely sure what his plans for Starlight would be just yet, but he was already more or less on the path of composing a song for him… it was just a question of what it would be about. “I think that’s enough of a gift for me.”

G’raha smiled and nestled closer. “I agree,” he murmured. “You are plenty gift enough for me.”

Yhen’a blushed and hugged him tight. “You won’t think so when you get tired of me,” he teased, laughing a little- but G’raha just pushed himself up and kissed him on the nose, and then settled back down in place, entirely content to just rest awhile.

The rest of his plans for the afternoon could wait… at least for the time being, he thought with a soft chuckle to himself.


	7. Sharp Claws and Sweet Pastries

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> G'raha asks for another story, and Yhen'a is happy to provide.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the second "half" of chapter 6, so it's a little shorter. :D;;; here's where I begin to tell Yhen'a's story throughout canon, in the form of Yhen'a telling G'raha. I hope you like it!
> 
> Also I have a lot of my own headcanons re: Aymeric and his background, because I started writing him long before Square released any official info on him. I know that my own interpretation is not consistent with canon, but I like it better:)

Later in the afternoon, Yhen’a led G’raha down to the lake with an impish grin and two fishing rods. “Now, then,” he said cheerfully, “seeing as how you’ve never learned how to fish, I’m going to teach you.”

G’raha blinked and looked at the water, then back at Yhen’a. “I hope our supper isn’t hinging on my success,” he said, only half joking. “’twould be a shame for us to have ventured from the Crystarium only to starve for want of fish.”

Yhen’a snorted, but he was grinning- and he swished his tail in amusement. “I’m fairly certain we won’t starve, but it’s good to see you’ve not lost your penchant for the dramatic.” He offered one of the rods to G’raha, smiling warmly. “Now, then, if you’d be so kind… there’s relaxing to be done- and, hopefully, supper to be caught!”

“How do you relax and catch fish at the same time?” G’raha looked at the rod, puzzled, then at Yhen’a. “Are you not meant to pay attention?”

“Well, yes,” Yhen’a admitted, “but if you find yourself a comfortable place to sit, it’s actually very relaxing. Here- this rock will serve.” The rock in question was actually more like a boulder, nestled between the trees that grew at the base of the mountains. Beyond the rock was a couple fulms of grass, and then a drop to the water below- it was the perfect spot, and Yhen’a had been pleased as punch to find it. He lead G’raha over to it, then kissed him on the cheek and smiled before gesturing. “Make yourself comfortable while I get the rods prepped. It won’t take long.”

G’raha obediently sat down and leaned back against the rock, then sighed and smiled, eyes falling half closed. “I’ll fall asleep here,” he murmured, “especially after what we just indulged in. If a particularly enterprising fish comes along, I fear it will take the rod and escape.”

Yhen’a sat down next to him, spinners ready, and handed him the rod with a warm smile. “Well, then,” he said, “I suppose it will be the fish who get to keep it instead of you, but- I admit I’ve been hoping we could do this together for a long while, so hopefully they won’t be interested enough to try.”

“Ah…” G’raha looked at him in surprise, then smiled warmly. “You’re sweet,” he murmured. “Fear not- I’ll keep a tight grip on it. Any chance I have to get out into the world with you, I will take- and gladly.”

Unable to resist, Yhen’a gave him a soft kiss, then winked at him. “It’ll be easier to present to Lyna as an option if you’re good at it,” he said with a grin. “Now, then, watch what I do.” He lifted the rod and flicked it forward, let the spinner fall until it hit the water with a soft splash. “That’s all there is to it- once it’s in the water, all there is left to do is to wait.”

G’raha blinked, then looked up at his rod. It took him a couple of tries, but eventually he got the spinner into the water as Yhen’a had. He leaned forward and peered over the edge, then hummed softly. “The water is fairly deep here,” he said. “There’s no slope inward. I presume this means the fish will be more likely to swim here?”

“Hopefully!” Yhen’a grinned and leaned back against the rock, then yawned a little. With the sun shining on them as it was, G’raha had a good point- he was pleasantly tired, and a nap sounded good- but ruby eyes were studying him, bright and curious, and he chuckled. “You look like you’ve something to ask,” he teased. “Let me guess- you want another story?”

G’raha’s ears wiggled. “How did you guess?” he asked playfully. His tail came to wind gently around Yhen’a’s, and he leaned against him and smiled at him. “Please?”

Yhen’a laughed softly. “Ah,” he said, “how can I resist that look? All right, all right… let’s see.” He looked out over the lake, at G’raha and tilted his head. “Do you have anything you’re curious about, or shall I pick?”

“Hmm…” G’raha considered it, then smiled. “I have read Heavensward so many times I have it mostly memorized- I should like to hear your experience in Ishgard from your own point of view. Count Edmont was thorough, but of course he wasn’t privy to everything you did.”

“Ah… Ishgard, hm?” Yhen’a was quiet for a little while- long enough that G’raha shifted a bit next to him.

“Love, I-” he began, but Yhen’a interrupted him with a gentle kiss on the forehead.

“Sorry, Raha,” he murmured. “It’s too easy to dwell on the bad things and not remember the good.” Yhen’a perked a little and smiled. “Well, then- how about I tell you about the first time Aymeric invited me to his manor? It wasn’t long after Thordan was defeated. I’d been back in the city for a little while, but hadn’t had much of a chance to catch up with him.” He chuckled quietly. “Did Edmont write about Mandragora?”

G’raha gave him a blank look. “Ser Aymeric has a mandragora?” he asked, somewhat baffled. “That seems like a… well- it seems ill-advised.”

Yhen’a grinned. “I’ll take that as a no,” he said. “Not _a_ mandragora- Mandragora, his cat. Well, then…”

\--

A couple of days after Thordan and the Heaven’s Ward had been defeated, Yhen’a found a note in his room at Fortemps Manor. He picked it up curiously and opened it, then smiled and glanced toward the window. It was an invitation from Ser Aymeric to catch up on a few things- they’d had so little time to talk since… well, in general, to be truthful, but since Haurchefant had died to be sure. Yhen’a had thrown himself full force into work and had kept himself busy to the point of near collapse just to keep himself from thinking about it, but in so doing, he’d neglected the man who’d become one of his dearest friends- and so having a chance to sit down with him sounded nice, if not potentially painful. Yhen’a’s gaze became a bit unfocused as he looked at the snow falling beyond the glass, then he sighed and put the note back on the bedside table and turned toward the door.

A quick jaunt to the markets rewarded him with a bag of pastries and a bottle of mead- most likely unnecessary, but it was the gesture that counted. Aymeric wasn’t a man who stood on formality, at least not with him, and Yhen’a appreciated that greatly. He didn’t like being looked up to, nor put on a pedestal- and Aymeric had always seemed to be firmly grounded in the knowledge that Yhen’a was as mortal as everyone else. Trying to maintain an image was exhausting, especially in a place like Ishgard, where intrigue and double-speak were both par for the course. As a general rule, he didn’t have much time for things like that, and he’d had to be careful and mind his tongue lest he get himself in trouble.

The manor steward who let him inside was an older man with a warm, friendly demeanor. “You must be Master Molkoh,” he said. “Ser Aymeric is waiting for you in the hearth room. Pray remove your boots, and then follow me right this way.”

Yhen’a blinked and opened his mouth to say _just Yhen’a, please,_ but the steward was already walking away. He resisted the urge to sigh and followed him in after obediently stepping out of his snow-encrusted boots, looking around with a mixture of curiosity and awe- though the manor had looked to be on the smaller side from the front, it sprawled further back than he’d expected it would. A grand staircase led upstairs, and the steward stopped at the foot of it and gestured. 

“Go up the stairs, and you’ll find the hearth room- take a right, and it’s the first door on the left.” The man smiled at him and bowed.

“Oh- ah, thank you,” Yhen’a said. He paused, then slowly went up the stairs. The door in question was open, and he peered inside and smiled in relief to see that his poor sense of direction hadn’t hindered him from finding the right room. “Aymeric,” he greeted- and the knight looked up from the book he’d been reading and rose.

“Yhen’a,” Aymeric said warmly, hurrying over and taking the bag and the bottle of wine from him. “Thank you- this is most kind. Pray, sit! For once I’ve an evening to myself, and I’m not of a mind to squander it.”

Yhen’a sat in the comfortable chair near Aymeric’s, arranged in a semi-circle before the hearth with a shared table by the armrests. He smiled as he looked around again, while Aymeric fetched two mugs for the mead. “I like your home,” he said. “It’s… cozier than I expected.”

Aymeric chuckled quietly. “Thank you,” he said. “It was a ruin when first it was bequeathed to me- snow fell in through cracks in the roof, and it was… well. Uninhabitable, is probably the kindest thing I can think to say. Thankfully I am no stranger to hard work, and had help in Handeloup and Lucia, as well as…” He trailed off, then smiled sadly. “… as well as Lord Haurchefant, of course. He was likely the most enthusiastic of us all.”

_Ah._ Yhen’a’s smile faltered, and he looked down at the plush rug beneath the chairs before looking back at Aymeric, flicking one ear. “It seems like something he’d be good at,” he said, and then nothing more- he couldn’t think about Haurchefant without wanting to cry, even still. It would, he figured, be a _long_ while until he could.

“It was. But, with all of us working on it, we finished it in a … fairly reasonable amount of time.” Aymeric handed him a mug and sat down with a smile, raising his own in a salute- and Yhen’a did the same before taking a long drink. “Thankfully, I was still staying in the barracks,” he continued, “which, as Lord Commander, was a touch difficult. Privacy is not easy to come by in such an environment, and there were- and still are- nights when I fall asleep at my desk.”

Yhen’a grinned. “You? I can’t believe it,” he said, and Aymeric laughed and shook his head ruefully. “You do work yourself into the ground, Aymeric- I’m glad to see you’ve stopped for a moment to catch your breath.”

Aymeric sighed and took a drink of his own mead, then nodded, wrapping both hands around it. “To be honest with you, I know I should not. There is so little time to organize everything ere I fall from the wire on which I walk… and I fear that one misstep will send not only me, but Ishgard as well, to meet our doom in the abyss below.” He looked at Yhen’a and smiled wryly. “Forgive me- I did not intend to invite you here to speak of business. Rather, I had hoped we might speak of aught else… _anything_ else, as I may well go mad if I do not direct my focus elsewhere for a time.”

“I know the feeling.” Yhen’a pulled a face and took another sip, then shrugged and looked toward the fireplace, tucking his legs up in the chair. “I don’t know that I remember what it feels like to be _Yhen’a_ and not _the Warrior of Light_.”

“Indeed,” Aymeric mused. “I struggle with that as well- as do all men and women with heavy responsibilities, I imagine.” He looked at him curiously. “Ere you began this journey- what did you do?”

Yhen’a shrugged. “I was an archer,” he said. “I’ve always been, since I was small enough to draw- and a singer as well. I didn’t find myself in possession of the Soul of the Bard until I was well on my way, so mostly I sang for my family and friends… and dreamed of a world bigger than the Shroud, bigger than what most Keeper men are satisfied with.” He glanced at Aymeric and gave him a fanged grin. “That being, of course, siring kits and wandering.”

Aymeric blinked, then coughed. “Oh,” he said, and then laughed and shook his head. “Forgive me, I fear I know little of Keepers… of the outside world in general, in fact. Your people do not marry, then?”

“No, not usually.” Yhen’a shook his head. “We’re a very matriarchal society- women keep the home and hearth, and provide as well. When men come calling they bring gifts- fresh kills, mainly- and stay a little while, then are off again. My mother never had a man in our home, so I was raised away from the brunt of it.” He smiled and shrugged. “That’s not the life for me. I wanted more than what makes most men happy, it seemed- at least, from the point of view of my mother and aunts. I can’t speak for all Keeper men.” He swished his tail contentedly over the end of the chair, and continued. “I left home at twenty or so, joined the archer’s guild… and, well, one thing led to another.”

“As things often do.” Aymeric smiled faintly and took a drink. “I lied about my age when I enlisted- I was lucky enough to be tall as a boy, though am more or less average now. I was thirteen, and one must technically be sixteen, to join the Temple Knights. I had no family to speak of at that point- well, save the obvious.”

“Ah, yes.” Yhen’a looked into his mug, then took a drink and poured himself more. “Ishgardian society would have a field day with me- not only am I bastard-born, as I suppose we all are by your definition, I was abandoned at birth as well. My mother happened to find me before a wild animal did, and took me in.” He smiled and shrugged. “I’m not exactly the model of domestic perfection. In fact, I- _ah!_” He yelped in surprise when something sharp grabbed hold of his tail, his fur standing on end as he quickly pulled it back.

Aymeric made a sound of surprise and leaned forward, then cringed. “Forgive me, my friend- I neglected to mention that we might be joined for the evening. This is Mandragora.”

Yhen’a stared indignantly at the cream-colored cat, who looked back at him calmly and then lifted a dark brown paw to groom himself as though he had nary an idea why he was being glared at. “His name is appropriate,” he said grudgingly, though he couldn’t really be angry at the cat- he was doing what cats did, after all. He looked at Aymeric with a grin. “I didn’t expect you to be a cat person. This opens _so_ many doors, you realize.”

Aymeric snorted and set his mug down, then patted his lap- and Mandragora hopped up and made himself at home. “Trust me, the rumors abound,” he said, shaking his head. He smiled and smoothed the cat’s ears back, and he began to purr happily. “I came upon Mandragora when he was a kitten- some… hm, twelve years ago or so, I presume. I found him huddled in a doorway during a snowstorm- Ishgard did have them back then, though not year round as now. He refused to let me near and hissed at me when I tried to pick him up, and so I decided I would wait for him to come to me.”

“It seems you might have waited quite a while,” Yhen’a said dryly. “You must have been cold.”

“Indeed.” Aymeric chuckled and shrugged. “It took three or four bells or so for him to decide to trust me enough to venture near, and another before I could scoop him up and take him inside. The manor wasn’t even thought of then- he lived in my room in the barracks, and came and went as pleased him when the winter ended.”

Yhen’a watched the cat, who was now swishing his tail just as Yhen’a himself had been when he’d pounced, and rolled his eyes before chuckling and taking a drink. “Did you name him Mandragora because he causes trouble, or does he yowl at night?”

Aymeric grinned and looked down at the cat, then shook his head. “My mother told me a story about them, once,” he said. “It is one of the few memories I have of her. She had a book that spoke of the creatures of Eorzea- I have it, if you’d like to see it- and the mandragora was my favorite. It so happens that they share personality traits, but thankfully, no, he does not howl. The worst he does is knock things on my desk askew and hide under furniture to grab me by the ankles when I walk by.”

“And chase my tail,” Yhen’a said, amused. He saw Mandragora eyeing it when he let it flick back and forth again, and he gathered it into his lap and wound it around his waist. “I think I’ll make sure that he doesn’t catch it again- he has sharp claws!”

“Aye,” Aymeric said, chuckling. “I couldn’t ask for a better companion, however- quirks, claws, and all. I fear he is not the most friendly of cats… in fact, when Handeloup and-… and Estinien would visit, he would either attack them or hide… or both, depending on his mood.”

_Estinien._

Yhen’a looked at Mandragora, then closed his eyes and bowed his head before slamming the rest of his mug and pouring himself more- and Aymeric did the same. “I feel like we’re going to be good and drunk before the night is over,” he muttered, ears down.

Aymeric smiled faintly. “Probably. Pray, stay the evening, then- I’ll not have you staggering back to Fortemps Manor drunk as we’re liable to get. I’ve more than enough space.”

“Ah… thank you. I think I will.” Yhen’a smiled faintly- he had come to care deeply for Edmont and his sons, but without Haurchefant there, he felt like he was two seconds from climbing the walls. He looked into his mug again, then bit the inside of his cheek. “Aymeric. … people are accusing you of patricide. Why don’t you defend yourself?”

“Am I innocent?” Aymeric shook his head and smoothed Mandragora’s ears back- watching made Yhen’a’s twitch a little, and he frowned at himself and looked away. “Nay, my friend- I will shoulder this burden so that you do not have to.”

Yhen’a looked at him again, leaned forward a little in the chair. “_Aymeric,_ you have to live here- I don’t! Aside from that, you weren’t even there- I’m the one who killed Thordan, and all of his Knights as well. That shouldn’t be on you.”

Aymeric shook his head slightly. “You went at my behest, Yhen’a- say what you will about him summoning- or _becoming_\- a Primal, and aye, perhaps at that point ‘twas your duty to dispatch him, but… I do not see it thusly, and nor will I.” He smiled faintly, then looked down in surprise when Mandragora hopped from his lap to the arm of Yhen’a’s chair. “Well, well… it seems he likes you.”

“Tell that to the claw marks in my tail,” Yhen’a replied, giving the cat a glance before flicking his ears and looking back at Aymeric. “I would have gone regardless. The man was rabid, and rabid animals are best put down before they harm others.” He looked at Mandragora, then reached up to let him sniff his fingers, and then gently ran them over the cat’s head. He was actually very soft, he noted. “… aside from that, I had a score to settle with Ser Zephirin. I was _glad_ to kick _his_ teeth in.”

“Would that I could have joined you.” Aymeric scowled faintly and leaned back in his chair, crossing his legs with one ankle on the opposite knee. “Unfortunately I’d have been naught but a burden… and, in the end, perhaps as corrupt as the Heaven’s Ward from being exposed to the primal’s influence. Master Alphinaud explained the finer points of it to me.”

Yhen’a smiled faintly. “True. I’d rather not have had to kill you as well- _much_ rather. I’m glad you’re right where you are.” He looked at Mandragora as the cat shifted to sniff at his fingertips again, then pushed his head into them for more attention. “… didn’t you say he’s unfriendly?”

“He is. Usually.” Aymeric chuckled and took another drink, then curiously peered into the bag before drawing out one of the pastries and passing one to Yhen’a with a bright smile. “Thank you for thinking of this. Ah, ware his reach- he’ll try to steal it from you.”

“Will you?” Yhen’a looked at Mandragora and raised an eyebrow, and the cat grunted a little before settling into a loaf on his lap. “I think we understand each other well enough.”

\--

G’raha was chuckling quietly as Yhen’a told the story. “Did he steal your pastry, in the end?” he asked, amused.

“He didn’t,” Yhen’a replied, laughing and shaking his head. “He tried, but- no. I’ll have to bring him something from the First, too… I’m sure there’s a version of catmint here.” He smiled fondly- he’d already found a gift for Aymeric, in the form of a chess set intricately carved out of white ash. Mandragora, he thought wryly, would undoubtedly enjoy batting the pieces about- but the set was durable, and so he didn’t worry overmuch on it.

G’raha hummed softly. “What kind of cat is he?” he asked curiously.

Yhen’a blinked. “Uh… he’s kind of patchy-looking. He’s different shades of cream and brown, and he’s got long fur.” He shook his head. “I don’t know my cat breeds very well, unfortunately.”

“Hmm… I’ll forgive you for it.” G’raha kissed him on the cheek, then looked out over the lake. “Count Edmont did mention that Aymeric was accused of patricide in an official manner… or, well, I suppose as officially as a zealot can. He never told them that you were the one who dealt the killing blow?”

“No. Not to this day.” Yhen’a huffed a little. “It would have made his life easier, the stubborn arse, but… I suppose to that end, it would have been bad if I’d gotten myself thrown out of Ishgard.”

G’raha was quiet for a little while- long enough that his rod jerked, and he made a surprised sound, sitting up straight and looking down at it before winding the reel. “Ah! … it looks like we won’t starve after all!”

Yhen’a grinned. “See? Fishing is fun,” he said- and when G’raha rose and lifted the fish he’d snagged out of the water, the Keeper’s grin turned to a proud smile. “It’s big, too! Good catch, Raha!” He held out a bucket he’d commandeered for this very purpose, and settled the fish inside. “You’re pretty good at this!”

“At sitting and waiting for a fish to come by?” G’raha laughed, but he looked pleased with himself- and his ears wiggled, too. He looked in the bucket and watched the fish swim in circles for a few seconds, then cast his line again and resumed his spot resting against Yhen’a’s side. “Back then… ah, it seems so far away, now, but- sometimes my compatriots and I would go to the shores and fish. There was probably more drinking involved and less actual fishing, but I remember it being something I enjoyed doing even though I didn’t personally try it.”

Yhen’a was quiet for a little while, then he gave G’raha a soft kiss on the cheek. “Raha… do you want me to go visit any of them for you? Or- what about your family?”

G’raha swallowed thickly. “Ah… I don’t know. That’s very kind of you, but…” He trailed off. “I have far outlived what they will, Azeyma help me- I have come to terms with never seeing any of them again. … and yet…” He trailed off. “… and yet, part of me longs to tell my father what I learned, what I _accomplished._ To tell him that the legacy he bore me has brought me such joy…”

Yhen’a closed his eyes briefly. “Has it?” he asked quietly.

“Well- not always, but… now, certainly.” G’raha nosed at his cheek, gently affectionate. “I am blessed to be here with you, to have you in my life. Has it always been this way? No. … but things that are worth having are always worth fighting for, Yhen’a, and I have never wanted anything as badly as I’ve wanted you.”

Warmth filled him, and Yhen’a’s cheeks flushed. Every time he thought of the sacrifice G’raha had made for him and what had finally caused the rift between _Exarch_ and _Raha_ to close, he felt humbled. G’raha had very literally given his life for him, and had planned on doing so a second time- had _wanted_ to, much as he’d wanted to stay with him. There was something so sobering about that thought, so _powerful,_ that sometimes it was hard for him to breathe… and he reached up to lightly touch the crystal that glittered in G’raha’s cheek. “I love you,” he murmured. “I love you so much- sometimes I’m afraid that I’ll never really be able to find the words.”

G’raha smiled at him, and the afternoon sun seemed to dim against its radiance. “You don’t have to,” he said gently. “You tell me in everything you do, everything you say. Every time you look at me, I lose my breath… and slowly, I am beginning to remember what it felt like back then- what falling in love with you felt like, how the pain in my heart that never seemed to go away always dulled in your presence- and eventually, vanished entirely.”

“Let me go tell your family you’re alive,” Yhen’a urged him. “Surely by now they’ve heard that the Isle of Val up and disappeared- I _want_ to do this for you!”

G’raha’s lips parted a little in surprise, then he smiled warmly. “See what I mean?” he said, brushing a light kiss against the corner of his mouth. “My dearest love- I can’t imagine anyone loving me like you do, nor would I want this from anyone else.” He hesitated, then kissed him again. “Let me think about it, but… from the bottom of my heart… thank you.”

Yhen’a smiled softly and nodded. “All right. The offer is always open.” He hoped G’raha would take it, he really did- if only because he knew how much his own mother worried if he was out of touch for too long… and, because he knew that G’raha loved his family, despite how the rest of the tribe viewed him. He kissed him on the cheek again, then lightly touched the crystal at his neck. “… does this hurt?”

“Ah?” G’raha looked at him curiously. “No. … it sort of happened all at once, and I suppose it hurt some then, but it was over fairly quickly.” He looked down at his right hand, then at Yhen’a and smiled faintly. “I know it looks-”

“Beautiful,” Yhen’a interrupted, before G’raha could say _strange_ or otherwise malign himself. “It looks beautiful, just as the rest of you does.” He smiled and traced one of the golden veins down his neck, along his collarbone. “It doesn’t make you any less a _person._ You know that, don’t you?”

G’raha smiled weakly. “I’m doing my best to know it. You’re helping, I promise.” He kissed him lightly once more, then caught his hand and kissed his palm, then his fingertips, calloused by years of archery and playing the harp and the lute. “You’re so precious to me- I doubt there’s much you could say that I wouldn’t believe.”

Yhen’a was tempted to make a wisecrack, but instead lightly pressed his fingers against G’raha’s lips and smiled at the way his lashes fluttered. “Maybe we should- oh!” He gasped and flailed when a fish bit at his line, and had to scramble to catch the rod before it disappeared. He laughed, flustered and embarrassed, as he reeled the fish in. “Well,” he said, amused, “it looks like it wasn’t you who had to worry about losing the pole to an enterprising fish!”

“A well-timed fish,” G’raha replied, grinning, “at least… from its point of view. From _mine…_ I should very much like to take a swim- and should _very_ much like for you to join me.

Yhen’a hastily put the fish in the bucket and set his rod against the cliff, but G’raha was ahead of him- he jumped into the water with a flash of his white-tipped tail, his trousers abandoned on the grass. Yhen’a shed his own and followed, laughing- the water was _deep_ by the cliff and climbing out would be a challenge, but he didn’t care… because the way G’raha grinned at him and bid him catch him reminded him that _he_ could breathe under the water, and he could _easily_ hold G’raha up above it.

He grinned to himself and dove, thinking of little else.


	8. You're Mine | Explicit

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Starlight is almost here, and I've managed to get this finished in good time beforehand. :Db This chapter is full of fluff, self-indulgence, and some magical BS headcanons sprinkled on top. I'm always a little hesitant to write things like this that go straight off the rails, but, well... it works for me, and I'm a sucker for happy endings, so I hope you all enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it!
> 
> It is almost triple the length of a typical chapter, so I did stop it sort of suddenly- I'll write the second half (I use 'half' loosely, if it's anywhere near this long I will scream) that focuses more on the entire group, soon. This takes place directly after their first foray into Lakeland.
> 
> Thank you, as always, for reading!

Starlight had long been Yhen’a’s very favorite time of the year. He looked forward to it with all the eagerness of a kit, though he didn’t particularly care what came his way- he cared about gifting things to his friends and loved ones. This would mark the first year he’d been in a relationship at Starlight in a _very_ long while, and he’d been thinking on what he might get for G’raha for _weeks_\- and yet as the days passed by he’d found himself no closer to an idea of what that gift should be. The Crystarium was decorated all over with twinkling lights and beautiful garlands, with bows and ribbons and everything else he loved about the season… and clearly, G’raha’s personal favorite- _snow._

When the first flakes had begun to fall, the Exarch had darted out of the Tower and skidded to a halt on the stairs to stare at it in awe. Yhen’a followed him, laughing, and wrapped a heavy blanket around him seeing as how he’d run out in his usual robes and sandals. How he’d _smiled,_ Yhen’a remembered, eyes widening and lips parting in silent joy- he’d not seen snow in over a century, and the sight of it filled him with boyish eagerness. Winter was clearly G’raha’s favorite season, and Starlight his favorite holiday… and Yhen’a, who hadn’t known that until just then, had held him close as the two watched the snow and began thinking in _earnest_ about how to make this Starlight absolutely perfect.

The only problem was, he was coming up dry with ideas.

One night, as the two reclined in a nest of pillows and blankets in front of the hearth in the sitting room- which G’raha had darkened, to his delight- Yhen’a decided to confront the issue head-on- and so he pressed a kiss to G’raha’s temple. “You’re difficult to shop for, you know that?” he said teasingly.

“Am I?” One of G’raha’s ears flicked, tickling Yhen’a’s cheek and making him laugh a little. G’raha shifted and propped himself up, looking at him with a grin. “You mean to tell me after _all_ this time we’ve spent together, you don’t know what to get me for Starlight, hmm?”

“Oh, I know what _you’ll_ say,” Yhen’a replied with a grin, reaching up to caress the ear that had flicked against his cheek- which made G’raha smile happily and tip his head into the touch. “You’ll say you have all that you need, that you’re happier than you’ve ever been- what could be better?”

G’raha smiled softly at him. “You know my heart thoroughly,” he said, crimson eyes shining softly in the firelight. “You’re right- I have all that I need because I have you.” He reached for the comb he’d left on the pillows and gently drew Yhen’a’s tail over his legs, then began drawing it along the soft fur.

Yhen’a’s lashes fluttered and he sighed in pleasure, then gave him a mock-accusing look. “You’re trying to distract me!”

“Is it working?” G’raha grinned and Yhen’a laughed, but he continued regardless, humming softly. “I don’t know, Yhen’a… I feel- I truly feel like there is nothing more I could ask for_._” He lifted Yhen’a’s tail briefly to rub the soft fur against his cheek, then continued combing- and he smiled as Yhen’a’s ears wiggled happily and he purred in response. “The only thing I can think of is more time with you, but I am thankful for every second we have together… and I don’t want you to think me clingy.”

Though his first instinct was to scold him for thinking that, Yhen’a kept his mouth shut and thought it over. Of course G’raha would feel that way- he’d spent a hundred years waiting for him, isolated and lonely. He’d barely been touched until Yhen’a embraced him atop the Tower, and even still all it took was a brush of his hand or a kiss on the cheek to make him blush and melt just a little. More time together _would_ be a good gift, but how? And doing what? Resolving to think it over, Yhen’a pushed himself up and kissed him soft and sweet. That, and something else- something that would serve as a more permanent reminder. “I don’t think that,” he said, “and I wouldn’t ever. I want more time with you, too, Raha. I’m afraid I’ve been spoiled by our travels, having you all to myself as I have.”

G’raha smiled warmly, the crystal on his cheek glittering in the firelight as he did so. “I have to agree, which is why I couldn’t ask for such a thing- I’ve already gotten it, and I am full glad for the opportunity.” He looked down at Yhen’a’s tail and hummed softly as he worked. “Your fur is so soft… that you trust me to do this- ah, my heart sings every single time.”

“I trust you with _everything._” Yhen’a looked up at him, watched the firelight dance across his fine features- and though he often tended to speak his mind, this time he kept his awe to himself. He would show him, he thought, but- later. His love for G’raha Tia went far beyond what he looked like, and at the moment he couldn’t quite find the words to express how he felt, looking at him like this. The moment was so intimate, so quiet and perfect… it would seem trite to speak on anything else.

G’raha’s gaze flew to his own, and he looked surprised- but then he smiled a radiant smile that made Yhen’a’s heart skip a beat. “I am blessed,” he murmured, “and thus- I can think of nothing more I need, or want. I have spent one hundred years wishing and praying for the sight before me now, even knowing I wasn’t likely to ever see it- I couldn’t keep myself from _wanting_ to.”

Yhen’a lifted a hand to trace the crystal that glittered so beautifully in the flickering light. G’raha had made such a sacrifice for him, had made it gladly, _willingly_… but when he thought about it, he knew he would have done the same, without question. He hated every moment they were apart, every _second,_ because he knew that his own time was limited and that G’raha would have to go on without him. If he could give him _anything,_ he thought, he would give himself over to the Tower and let it claim him as it had G’raha… but that wasn’t possible, not for a Keeper with nary a drop of Allagan blood in his veins. He smiled anyway, though, because now wasn’t the time for such maudlin thoughts- especially when he could do nothing about them. “I can’t fathom what it’s taken you to get here,” he said softly. “Six years gone and I still reached for you, even though I only held you the one time. … but this gets me no closer to a _gift_ for you, silly Seeker.” He smiled and tapped G’raha on the nose, and ruby eyes crossed to look at his finger, which made him laugh in delight. “Ah, you’re so cute-!”

G’raha groaned faintly and dropped his face into his hands. “_Must_ you?” he asked, peeking out at him from between his fingers- but he was smiling, and his ears wiggled gently. He reached out with his right hand and gently cupped Yhen’a’s jaw, and his smile softened when the bard tipped his head into his touch. “We’re together now… nothing else truly matters, does it?”

“I suppose not. … but I’m still getting you a gift.” Yhen’a stuck his tongue out, and G’raha’s ears shot up in surprise before he laughed and shook his head.

“And you call _me_ a brat,” he said playfully. He went back to combing Yhen’a’s fur, and Yhen’a was more than content to lay still and enjoy it- it sent delightful tingles throughout his body, and he had to admit that he struggled with getting enough of his lover’s touch. It was quite a little while later when they rose from the cushions, and Yhen’a stretched hard, arms up over his head and then down behind his back. He even stretched his ears- _gods,_ but he felt good. He swished his tail as he regained his balance after bending back as he had, and then looked curiously when he felt his lover’s gaze on him. He flicked one of his ears, taking in the intensity in his eyes, then smiled knowingly. “Raha…?”

“Ah! F-forgive me, I didn’t mean to stare.” G’raha looked away, flushed and shy… and Yhen’a reached for him, gently put his fingers beneath his chin and turned him to face him once more. “Yhen’a…”

“Look all you like,” Yhen’a murmured, resting their foreheads together. “With your eyes, your hands… whatever suits you best. I have no secrets from you.”

Yhen’a took G’raha’s hands and pressed a warm kiss to each palm, then kissed him again before taking his right hand and slowly drawing it lower, brushing his fingers against the front of his trousers. There wasn’t much he could do to disguise his arousal, and nor did he want to- especially when G’raha’s lips parted and he looked up at him with fire in his gaze. He pressed his palm against the bulge beneath the fabric and drew a sharp intake of breath from Yhen’a, who kept his eyes on G’raha’s even as the Seeker worked to make them fall shut. His lashes fluttered and he whimpered softly, and G’raha let out a soft huff in response, pressing ever closer. “Let there be no doubt,” Yhen’a breathed. “I _want_ you. You aren’t the only one who feels like he’s caught fire every time our eyes meet.”

G’raha’s blush darkened, and he kissed him again as he rubbed him gently. “You feel good in my hand,” he breathed, and Yhen’a shuddered at such daring words being spoken in such a sweet way. “I do feel that way- every time I look at you. You make me feel like I did back then, fantasizing about you at every turn and finding my pleasure with your name on my lips- Yhen’a… ah- there’s no better gift than this… of that, I am most certain.”

Yhen’a’s breath hitched, and he nudged their noses together and panted softly. “Ah… hah- you can do as you like with me… I’m yours, Raha- I always have been.”

G’raha inhaled slowly through his nose, then let the breath out on a ghost of a laugh. “How you tempt me,” he murmured. “Take care, Yhen’a… else I’ll decide to have you right here on the floor.”

“Do you promise?” Yhen’a laughed shakily and lifted a hand to rake his hair back, then returned it to G’raha’s waist before lifting it to gently tug on his braid.

“I do,” G’raha promised, kissing him until he gasped for air. “Ah, you make me feel young again…” He drew his hand away from Yhen’a’s clothed length, making him whimper a little, and lifted it to the hem of his shirt, which he carefully drew up and over the bard’s head before tossing it aside. His trousers were next, and how Yhen’a _blushed_ as G’raha knelt for him, looked up at him with a mischievous little smirk that made him burn from the inside out. Nimble fingers undid the laces, then G’raha drew them slowly over his hips, taking great care with his tail- and he sat back on his heels, just looking at him. With his trousers out of the way he strained at his smallclothes, and a dusty blush darkened the Seeker’s cheeks and nose. “You are _so_ beautiful, Yhen’a- Twelve, have you _any_ idea?”

Yhen’a swallowed thickly. “If you say so, it must be true,” he finally said- and say it he did, out loud and with the way he looked at him.

Slowly, G’raha reached up and bit his lip, then settled his fingertips at the waistband of Yhen’a’s smallclothes. When the bard nodded vigorously, G’raha gently drew them down- and as soon as Yhen’a was out of them, he sighed softly and rested his hands on his bare hips, then leaned forward. Yhen’a made a strangled sound as his tongue brushed against his tip, the sensation unexpected but _certainly_ welcome. The Seeker trailed soft kisses up the length of him, gently braced him with his left hand and continued on- Yhen’a grit his teeth around a groan, thighs quivering at the onslaught of pleasure.

As the pleasure built he had to focus harder on remaining upright, and the sight of G’raha kneeling for him, those soft, full lips wrapped around him, made him dizzy. He finally had to squeeze his shoulders, to gently draw back, and he dropped to his knees in front of him and rested their foreheads together before kissing him, making a quiet sound at the taste of himself on his beloved’s tongue. “R-Raha,” he managed. “Ah… _oh!_”

G’raha wrapped his hand around him and pulled him close with his other arm, stroked him with determination- and Yhen’a shook head to toe, his fur fluffing out as far as it could. His tail came to wind around G’raha’s right arm, and G’raha hummed softly in pleasure as he rubbed the pad of his thumb against Yhen’a’s tip, finding him slick all over again. “Let go, my love,” he murmured.

Yhen’a gasped and grit his teeth, bucking into his hand as best he could. The emotions, the sensations, all of it was too much, _too much-_ he broke with a cry of G’raha’s name, came hard and spilled over his hand and onto the blanket beneath them. G’raha continued stroking him languidly, and after a couple breaths, Yhen’a gently reached out and took his wrist to stop him, trembling all over. The Seeker kissed him warmly, then sat back and lifted his hand to his lips with a grin- he lapped at the fluid on his fingers, wringing a groan from Yhen’a, who leaned forward and did the same until they were kissing one another full of passion and fire.

“Yhen’a,” G’raha breathed, then gasped faintly as Yhen’a grinned at him and nipped at his lower lip, watched intently as he drew back and began working at the clasps of his robe. Once he’d unwound the layers from around him and had him in the shorts he wore beneath and nothing else, he set to work with enthusiasm. G’raha whimpered as soft lips trailed up the underside of his length, sensitive even through the fabric- Yhen’a had no plans to waste time, and so he lapped at the wet spot at his tip and wrung a groan from him before drawing the shorts down long legs and then off entirely. “Ah… _ah!_”

Not feeling much like waiting- and G’raha hadn’t either, he noted- Yhen’a took him in hand and swirled his tongue around his tip, tasted the fluid that had gathered anew and shivered a little as he took him in as far as he could. Thankfully, he didn’t have much of a gag reflex, and the sound that spilled from G’raha’s lips made him wish that he’d done this for him back then as well. He swallowed carefully and G’raha let out a sharp cry, and he smiled to himself as his nose came to rest in the soft hair at his base- it was just a moment or two before the Seeker lost control, one hand tangled in his hair and the other resting on his shoulder. The sensation of him throbbing between his lips was incredible, and he drew back slowly to add to it- G’raha whimpered and tightened his grip on his hair, and Yhen’a hummed softly around him.

When he drew back, he licked his lips and smiled- then laughed a little when G’raha tugged him up to kiss him. His heart hadn’t felt this light in years, and he threw his arms around his lover and held on tight. “Raha,” he murmured against his mouth. “My Raha…”

“Yours,” G’raha agreed, pressing closer. “Yours, always yours… mm…” He nosed at his jaw, then breathed in deeply and let the air out slowly, a warm, gentle brush against his neck. “I promise you… I am happier than I have ever been.”

Yhen’a, comfortable and content, flicked his ears and nudged their noses together, then lifted a hand to gently caress his cheek. “I love you,” he murmured. “I’m lucky- I know that to be true.” With that, he rose and lifted G’raha into his arms, earning a rather undignified squeak- and he grinned as the Seeker only tucked himself closer and wrapped an arm around him. He carried him into the bedroom and lay him down on their bed, then lay down beside him and drew the blankets up and over them. G’raha nestled close and draped himself half atop him, and Yhen’a lay quietly, thoughts drifting along the gentle current their love created- and just before he dozed off, an idea came to him that made him smile.

The following morning, once they were up and dressed, the two headed down to the Ocular. G’raha yawned a little and stretched, as they walked in, then looked at him curiously. “What have you got planned for the day, then?”

“Actually, I need to go back to the Source for a bit,” Yhen’a said. “I won’t be gone long- I promise.” His mind was working on overdrive- he knew _exactly_ what he needed, and thanks to his long experience with fletching and a dear friend who was a goldsmith, he knew- he _prayed-_ he could get it done before Starlight.

“Ah? Very well,” G’raha said. He draped his arms around Yhen’a’s waist and kissed him gently, then once more when Yhen’a rested a gentle hand on the back of his head- and then the two parted, and he turned to the portal and lifted his staff. “Safe travels, Yhen’a. I’ll see you when you return.”

“I love you, Raha,” Yhen’a said, smiling warmly at him and walking to the portal. “I’ll be back before you know it.

G’raha smiled and touched his first two fingers to his lips, then his heart. “My love goes with you always,” he said softly.

Leaving was never easy, even when it was only meant to be a short trip, and Yhen’a braced himself as he stepped through the portal. He’d been back and forth a few times, and never with any issue, but _Menphina_ he _hated_ the journey. Once his feet hit solid ground in the Syrcus Trench he breathed a sigh of relief, then looked up at the Tower and smiled, walking over to settle a hand against the crystal. He didn’t know for sure, and he’d not asked the Exarch, but he wanted to believe that G’raha knew he was there- at least somehow. “Don’t think I’ve forgotten you for Starlight, either,” he said softly. “Gods, I’ve had no time to ask him about the rest, but- hopefully he’s found it, otherwise I’m going to move it somewhere more obvious!” He took a step back and looked up again. “I’ve got to hurry this time- I love you, Raha. I’ll be back soon!”

With that, he turned and wrapped the aether around himself, leaving the Tower far behind and landing in Gridania’s aetheryte plaza. He hummed softly as he looked around, then headed toward the markets whistling cheerfully. Now that he had G’raha’s gift- rather, the gifts for both of them- firmly in mind, he felt less anxious about the looming holiday. Gridania was decorated beautifully, and there was a dusting of snow on the ground, lending even more of a festive air to everything. The people he passed by all seemed happy, which told him that at present, there was little to worry about on the Source… because surely if Garlemald had made moves to attack, there would be at least _some_ visible upset.

The market was bustling as ever, and Yhen’a walked to the summoning bell and waited patiently for his retainer, Yovu, to arrive. It had been a long while since he’d seen her, though Feo Ul communicated with her often on his behalf- and when she arrived she squealed in joy and hugged him tight. “Yhen’a! I’m so glad to see you!”

Yhen’a laughed and hugged her back. “I’m glad to see you, too, Yovu- how are you?”

She stepped back and smiled brightly at him. “I’m very well,” she said. “Things are fine here- just as you left them, honestly. I’ve heard nothing worrisome. … in fact, the most worrisome thing is that I sold all the jewelry you’ve made, so you’ll want to give me more before you go!” With a grin, she handed him a fat coinpurse.

“All of it?” Yhen’a took the purse and looked at it in surprise, then looked back at her. “I didn’t expect that. I suppose wooden jewelry is becoming more popular!” He flicked his ears and smiled happily, then took half the coins and gave her the rest. “Here- this is for you. Happy Starlight, Yovu- and thank you, _so_ much. I know you do a lot on my behalf and I want you to know I’m thankful.”

Yovu gasped and looked at it, then bit her lip and looked up at him. “Are you sure?” she breathed. “You didn’t even count it-!”

“I don’t need to. You deserve it.” Yhen’a smiled and hugged her again- and she hugged him tight in return. He’d known her for many, many years- she’d been his retainer since he’d first been able to hire her, back when he was still a green archer. They’d both been through some lean times, and it was good to know that now, he could pay her back for the times he hadn’t really been able to give her anything beyond the bare minimum. “Have you plans, then?”

“Spoil my nieces and nephews!” Yovu looked at him and beamed. “Otherwise, no- but what about you? What’s brought you back from your journey?”

Yhen’a grinned. “A Starlight gift for someone very important to me,” he said. “I’m asking him to marry me, and I’ve got to go to Ishgard to enlist help. I don’t think I can make the ring myself. First, though, I’ve got to find my mother, and hope that she still has my old bows!”

Yovu lit up- Yhen’a could almost see the hearts in her eyes at the very idea. “Ohhhh, that’s wonderful,” she said, hopping up and down a little. “I’m so excited for you!” She paused, then, and tapped her chin. “If Yhen doesn’t have them, I know I have a few of them kept for you. You might check your house, too! I’ve made sure it’s in good shape while you’ve been gone.”

“I wish I was better organized,” Yhen’a mumbled, shaking his head ruefully. “Well, I’ll get to looking, then- thanks again, Yovu.” He smiled at her and gave her one last hug, then waved goodbye as he left the marketplace and set out for the Central Shroud. Since he’d last returned from the First, the three had built a small cottage deep in the forest, which was good news for him- he didn’t want to sit in the snow and wait. As it happened, the snow was falling harder when he left the marketplace, and he looked up and smiled as he walked. It had been so cute, how G’raha had gone barreling out of the Tower to see the snow that had begun to fall in the Crystarium… he’d been so enthralled with it! Of course, it was the first time that snow had fallen on the First since he’d arrived- he hoped there would be a _lot,_ enough to make snowballs and snowmen. Surely, he thought, Ryne was enjoying it as well- it would be her first time seeing it at all, and just like that an idea for a gift came to mind. He would, he thought, get her a snow globe- and with one more gift down, he wiggled his ears happily beneath his hood.

It was past sundown by the time he reached the cottage, and he looked around curiously before knocking. It was nice, he thought, and in a beautiful area- in the spring, he imagined that the whole yard would be awash in wildflowers. There were garden beds as well, covered for the winter, and no shortage of trees- as well as what looked like a gazebo with benches inside for relaxing out of doors during nicer weather. He smiled a little and walked to the door, then lifted his hand and knocked confidently- they’d be awake, of course. He himself felt far more alert at night, and thanks to G’raha not really _needing_ to sleep, he didn’t feel bad about staying up all night with him sometimes and sleeping long into the day. The door opened after a couple of seconds, revealing his cousin, Tahbe’a- a surprise, but not exactly a pleasant one. Still, Yhen’a smiled, and to his credit, so did Tahbe’a. He wasn’t about to let his pompous cousin ruin his trip home.

“Yhen’a,” he said, stepping back so he could come in. “It’s good to see you, cousin! I seem to have good timing.”

Yhen’a walked inside and looked around, but didn’t have much time to speak before he heard his mother’s voice. With what little time he had he noted that the inside of cottage was very cozy, with colorful rugs on the floors and furniture that while somewhat old, was clearly serviceable. There was a fire in the hearth, and the whole house smelled like roasted meat- his mouth watered a little as he realized he’d not eaten since the morning.

“Yhen’a!” Yhen rushed into the living room from the back of the house, then ran to him and hugged him tight. “You’re home, thank Menphina! Are you well?”

“Hi, Mama,” Yhen’a said, hugging her tightly and then giving his cousin a quick nod of thanks as he shut the door behind him. “And you as well, Tahbe’a- visiting for the holiday?”

Tahbe’a nodded. “I’ve kits to visit as well, but I wanted to drop by beforehand.”

Yhen took his hands and squeezed them, looking at him with a warm smile and distracting him from Tahbe’a- who looked like he was about to start in on him. “I’m so glad you’re home- are you staying for Starlight?”

“Ah… well,” Yhen’a began, but was interrupted by the appearance of his aunts- and after much laughter and hugs all around, he finally looked at his mother. “If we could speak a moment…”

“Of course.” Yhen gave the others a stern look, and they cleared out of the room. She led him to the couch and sat down next to him, then looked at him worriedly. “You aren’t going to stay, are you?”

Yhen’a bit his lip. “No,” he said, “but I have a good reason. I’m going to ask the man I love to marry me- and that’s why I’m here, because I wanted to tell you first. I can’t… I can’t bring him home, Mama. It isn’t possible, not right now.”

Yhen lifted her hands and framed his face. “That doesn’t matter,” she said softly. “I hope that one day, you can. Oh, Yhen’a… I’m so happy for you!” She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tight, then drew back and wiped at her eyes. “Tell him- tell him that he’s my son, too, now. The both of you could at least write sometimes!”

Those words brought tears to his eyes, and Yhen’a cleared his throat. “I’ll tell him,” he said, his voice a little hoarse. “I promise. I wish I had more time to visit, but I came looking for the perfect ring for him. I’d like to make it out of one of my old bows, if you have them still?”

“Oh, no,” Yhen murmured, her expression falling. “I’m so sorry, Yhen’a- I don’t. They’re with Tahbe’s grandkits.”

Though briefly disappointed, Yhen’a smiled and shook his head. “No, it’s fine! I’m glad they’re being used. Trust me, I have an armory of old and unusable bows to choose from, so- I’ll pick another.” He squeezed her hands. “I can stay for a little while, though. I should leave in the morning, but you have me until then.”

Yhen beamed ear to ear. “Then we’ll celebrate!” she exclaimed, rising and pulling him to his feet. All he could do was laugh helplessly as she dragged him into the kitchen, where the others had retreated when she’d shooed them. “Yhen’a is getting married!” she announced.

Yhen’a turned a dusky red, but he grinned and nodded- and then the flood of congratulations and questions began. Tahbe and Midhu knew about G’raha, and they both demanded to know if it was ‘that Seeker boy’ he was marrying, and when he confirmed that it was, they looked utterly delighted- and promptly began grilling him. He laughed good-naturedly and put up with it- _yes of course he’s handsome, his hair is red, he’s my height, his eyes are red as well, I don’t know if that’s normal for Seekers or not because I don’t know many, _the list went on and on. He didn’t know how to tell the truth about his eyes, or about his royal blood, so he just did the best he could- and by the time the questions died down, there were plates of food set out and he was ready to devour at least four of them.

He ended up staying until well past sunrise, all of them more than a little drunk- even Tahbe’a, who’d nettled him a little, but not enough to warrant a reaction. Yhen’a bid them all farewell and promised to return as soon as he could, and though he was happy that he’d gotten the chance to see them… he wished he could bring G’raha with him. He teleported to his house and promptly fell into his bed, and after napping for a little while, he forced himself back up and to work. He still had to find the bow he wanted to use- for if his childhood ones weren’t available, the one he’d used in the Crystal Tower was the next best thing- and then take it to Ishgard, and thence design the ring he wanted to make. He rubbed at his eyes, then opened his armoire and dug into it. This bow he’d kept after it had broken, because he couldn’t bear to be without it… it had too many memories attached to it that he didn’t want to lose. He smiled to himself as he ran his fingers over it, thinking of brash and cocksure G’raha Tia- and the far calmer and yet still feisty Crystal Exarch. There was nothing that would be better for him, for the young man he’d loved grown into the powerful ruler he’d become.

Ishgard was not his favorite place, mainly because he hated being cold- and he felt bad for not being able to drop in on Aymeric. He would have to come back again next time he returned, hopefully not chasing the next war that sprang up… it would be nice to be able to sit and talk with him, to dangle one of Mandragora’s toys for the cranky cat instead of risking his tail getting pounced on. Keeping his mind firmly on the task at hand, he went straight to the Jeweled Crozier and into the jewelry shop owned by his good friend, a Keeper named Ahyo’ra. The shop was small and modest, but it was beautiful and well-kept, which spoke not only to the quality of the jewelry sold there but the personality of its owner. Even though the wood floor was worn in spots, it was buffed and carefully polished to ensure that it looked as good as it possibly could. The jewelry cases were aligned in a square around the room, meant to invite people in and not make them feel overwhelmed by items tucked into nooks and crannies, which Yhen’a thought probably helped aid in the decision-making process as well. Along the back wall were workbenches, and that was where he found his friend when he walked inside.

As he’d hoped, the shop was empty- business tended to slow a bit during the mid-afternoon, which was why he’d timed his visit thusly. The goldsmith looked up when he came in, then brightened and smiled warmly. “Yhen’a,” he said, his deep, rich voice welcoming. “It’s been a long time!”

Yhen’a crossed the room and clasped the other Keeper’s hands, smiling back and wiggling his ears a little. “It’s good to see you, Ahyo’ra,” he said. “Business is good, I hope?”

Ahyo’ra smiled sheepishly and nodded, lifting a hand to push his red hair back from his face. He had heterochromatic eyes, just like G’raha had back then- only his were jewel-tone green and blue. “So good I can barely keep up,” he said, gesturing at some of the displays- there were more empty spots than jewelry set out. “I’m thankful for any break in the day, but more thankful that you’ve come to visit. What brings you to Ishgard?”

“A favor,” Yhen’a said. “I… well.” He cleared his throat and smiled sheepishly. “There’s someone I need a ring for, and I don’t know anyone better at designing- and making- jewelry than you.”

“Congratulations!” Ahyo’ra smiled brightly and nodded. “Of course, I’d be happy to help you- I’m assuming you need this soon?” When Yhen’a winced a bit and nodded, the other Keeper rose and flipped the sign on the door to _closed,_ then locked it and turned back. “Let’s not waste time, then. Have you any ideas?”

Yhen’a nodded and put his pack down, then pulled out a piece of the broken bow. “I want to use this as a base,” he explained, and then took a chunk of bluespirit ore he’d picked up along the way out as well. “… and then have rivulets of gold and this blue metal running throughout. I can do the woodworking myself, but I’m going to need help with the rest.”

Ahyo’ra flicked his ears. “It sounds like it will be lovely,” he said encouragingly. He took the ore from Yhen’a and examined it, then grinned at him. “You know I always like playing with new ores. The raw gemstones you brought me a while ago flew off the shelves once I had them cut and put into necklets. Let me see how this melts down, then, and we’ll go from there.” He gestured to the workbench. “Make yourself at home!”

“Thank you,” Yhen’a said gratefully. “I’m sorry it’s so last minute- the thought just occurred to me yesterday. Our relationship is a little bit different than what I’d consider _traditional,_ but… well, maybe something traditional the perfect thing to give him- at least, I hope so.”

“Sometimes that is indeed the best gift you can give someone.” Ahyo’ra smiled and shrugged. “My relationship isn’t anywhere near _traditional,_ especially not in a place like Ishgard, but… I’ve entertained the idea of making us rings more than once. I think it’s a good idea, Yhen’a, really.”

Yhen’a set half of the bow on the workbench and drew his small saw out of the pack, carefully unwrapping the leather from around it and eyeing the bow critically before looking at his own hands. G’raha’s were graceful, his fingers long and almost delicate-looking- whereas Yhen’a’s weren’t quite as either. He hummed softly and cast a glance at his friend, who was examining the ore with a magnifying glass, then walked over to him and took one of his hands. He made a surprised sound and looked up, and Yhen’a grinned and held his own up next to it. “Don’t mind me,” he said. “You’re taller than both of us, but your hands are more like his than mine are, and I’m afraid I’ll muck the sizing up if I don’t have at least some sort of reference.”

Ahyo’ra smiled a little. “Well,” he said, “I don’t think the scars have changed the shape of my fingers much… especially now that they’re healed.”

“I don’t think so.” Yhen’a hummed and laced their fingers together, then nodded. “Close! Close enough, I think. I suppose it would be better to make it a little too big than too small.”

“Careful, I’ll get the wrong idea,” Ahyo’ra teased, and Yhen’a let go of his hand and stuck his tongue out at him. “I see the years haven’t matured you any! But, seriously- if you want me to try it on while you’re working, I’d be happy to. I want to make sure it fits, too.”

Yhen’a grinned. “Thank you,” he said, returning to the bench and sitting down on the stool in front of it. “Luckily I’ve more than enough wood to start over a few times, though Menphina help me, I hope I won’t have to. I’m no carpenter- fletching is only _vaguely_ similar. I may make a proper mess of this before I make something I don’t hate.”

The workbench was meticulously organized, which Yhen’a had come to expect- the work his friend did was delicate and precise, and thus he needed to be able to reach whatever tool he needed on very short notice. Being rather _less_ organized by practice, he took great care not to disturb anything beyond what he absolutely needed. His own tools would suffice, and he didn’t need a giant saw for this- but he would need a grinding wheel, and Ahyo’ra had more of those than he’d seen in one place outside of a supply store. He hummed softly to himself before he carefully began to saw, then took his awl and began carefully chipping away at the wood until he had something more or less resembling a ring. He would sand it down, of course, and make it smaller that way, but the inside was more or less the size it was going to be when it was done. He had his friend try it on, and wound up having to start again a couple of times- but finally, he held up a successful blank and grinned triumphantly.

The next step was to sand and polish it, which he went about _meticulously._ The wood had to be perfectly smooth, and he wasn’t satisfied with his work until he could almost see his reflection in it. The small ring looked as delicate as the hand it would go on, but Yhen’a was certain it wouldn’t break- especially once the ore and gold were in place. To that end he carefully sketched a design on the wood that he would then carve in, and the last step would be to seal it before adding the molten gold and ore. In the end, it was meant to look somewhat like the rivulets of gold that ran throughout the crystal on G’raha’s body- and he thought, once he’d finished sketching, that he was on the right track. He hummed as he looked it over, then set to work at carving it- by the time he was done his eyes felt like sandpaper, but the ring looked beautiful. 

“It’s gorgeous, Yhen’a,” Ahyo’ra said, peering over his shoulder. “Why not take a break for a little while? Once it’s sealed, I’ll do my part and you can take a nap in the back room. You look like you’re about to collapse.”

Yhen’a blinked owlishly, suddenly realizing just how tired he was. “What time is it?” he asked, twisting to look toward the door- it was _dark_ outside. “Good gods, how long have I been at this?”

Ahyo’ra chuckled quietly. “Seven bells,” he said. “You were working so intently that I didn’t want to disturb you, other than sliding tools your way when it looked like you needed something a little more delicate or sharp than what you were using.”

“Thank you,” Yhen’a said, standing and stretching- and then gasping a little at the sharp pain between his shoulder blades. “_Twelve_-! I should have gotten up!”

“Maybe,” Ahyo’ra said sympathetically. He put a gentle hand on his back, and Yhen’a felt the touch of soothing aether- along with being a goldsmith, his friend was an accomplished healer and a member of the Scions, though he didn’t advertise it. He preferred to help when and where he was needed. “You’re not eighteen anymore, you know.”

Yhen’a chuckled dryly. “I know,” he said, shaking his head. “I’m over thirty, and trust me, I feel it almost every time I get out of bed in the morning. I’m getting too old for this ‘Warrior of Light’ nonsense.”

Ahyo’ra smiled and leaned against the workbench as Yhen’a carefully painted a thin layer of resin on the wood to seal it and protect it against the molten metal that would be added shortly. “Have you considered stopping?” he asked gently.

“Ah… no.” Yhen’a glanced up at him and smiled wryly. “Every time I start to think about it, another war starts or I get yanked from the Source to an entirely different shard- not that I’m complaining, mind. I’m glad Raha reached me.”

“… but?” Ahyo’ra raised an eyebrow at him, absently brushing his bangs out of his eyes again.

Yhen’a sighed. “But,” he agreed, carefully setting the ring down to cure before turning the stool toward Ahyo’ra and looking up at him. “I don’t like to think about how close I came to death this time, and my gods- it would have been a _horrific_ death. I know I am the only one who can do what’s needed, and… well, that’s what’s keeping me from just stopping, to be honest. Guilt.”

Ahyo’ra bit his lip, then nodded slightly. “The world has placed a huge burden on your shoulders,” he murmured. “Still… you deserve to live your life, Yhen’a- and on _your_ terms. You are a person, not a tool, not a _weapon._”

“I… I know.” Yhen’a sighed and rested his forehead in his hands, then looked back up at him and smiled sadly. “Raha thinks the same, though he’s been hesitant to say it. I think he wishes I would stop, too, but knowing what I did for the First… he’s not entirely willing to ask- he doesn’t think it’s his place.”

“Hmm.” Ahyo’ra thought on it, then smiled and gestured to the ring. “Make sure he knows that it is, before you give him this. It wouldn’t do for him to not see you as an equal.”

Yhen’a’s eyes widened, then he bit his lip and looked down at the ring again. “I think he does,” he finally said softly, “but I… will make sure of it. Thank you for pointing it out to me. I think we’re both a little love-blind right now.”

“There’s nothing wrong with that.” Ahyo’ra shrugged and clasped his hands together, then looked up at the ceiling. “To literally cleave through space and time to save the life of the person you love… what a love story. I’m so glad you’ve finally found someone who sees _you._ I don’t think it’ll take much to convince him that the two of you are on level ground.”

“I hope not.” Yhen’a yawned a little and rubbed at his eyes, then sighed and tipped his head as a gentle hand came to ruffle his hair and rub one of his ears briefly. “You’re going to put me to sleep…”

“That’s the goal,” Ahyo’ra replied, amused. “Come on. I’ll wake you when it’s time to set the metals in place.” He held his hand out and Yhen’a took it, then he gently hauled the exhausted bard up and led him to the back room.

It was a little while later when Yhen’a woke to a gentle hand on his shoulder, and it took him a second to mentally shake the cobwebs that had accumulated thanks to going so long without sleep. His heart leapt, then, and he pushed himself up and looked at Ahyo’ra eagerly. “It’s time?” he asked, and when the goldsmith grinned and nodded, Yhen’a nearly launched himself off of the cot to get back to the workbenches.

Ahyo’ra had melted a chunk of the bluespirit ore and poured it onto a thin sheet of metal just to see what it would look like, and he’d taken a bit of gold and poured it along with it- and then over top of it as well. “I think you were right with your initial idea to have rivulets of both metals running throughout,” he mused. “Pouring them together just sort of makes a mess given that there’s so little space.”

Yhen’a peered at the options and then nodded. “I agree,” he said, rubbing quickly at his eyes before hurrying over to inspect the ring. It had sealed beautifully, and all that was left to do was to add the metals, sand it down to make sure it was smooth, then to polish it. The wood’s coloring was rich mahogany, and the metals would both stand out against it. “Ah, I can’t wait!”

“You’re ready, then?” Ahyo’ra asked, laughing gently. “I’d never have guessed. All right- I have the ore and the gold waiting right here. Bring the ring over, and I’ll have you hold it with this dowel while I pour.”

Yhen’a obediently put the ring on a heavy dowel and walked it over to Ahyo’ra’s bench, and the other Keeper sat down and studied it before picking up the gold. Yhen’a watched intently as he carefully began to pour from the tiniest ‘cup’ he’d ever seen- he didn’t know how else to describe it, it looked like a tiny teacup with a spout for accurate work. As the gold began to spread throughout the design Yhen’a had carved in, Ahyo’ra eyed it critically before putting the gold aside and reaching for the bluespirit, pouring it in some of the branches before carefully adding it to the main branch and letting it mix with the gold _just_ a little- and when he did it that way, it worked carefully. Yhen’a turned the dowel obediently when told to do so, and little by little the ring edged toward completion.

Ahyo’ra added a few more drops here and there, then sat back and smiled triumphantly. “There,” he said, “it’s done! Give it just a minute and we’ll sand it down, and then it’s yours to take with you.”

“Thank you, Ahyo’ra,” Yhen’a said fervently. “I couldn’t have done this without you- I couldn’t have even begun to.”

“It was your idea,” Ahyo’ra said with a fond smile. “Honestly, all I did was play with the ore you brought me. It’s beautiful, though… and undoubtedly one of a kind. I’m sure your intended will adore it.”

Yhen’a smiled and closed his eyes briefly. “I hope so,” he murmured. Inwardly, he knew G’raha would, of course- but he had to make _sure_ that he was ready, that they were _both_ ready, after what they’d gone through.

Once the ring was sanded down, Ahyo’ra tucked it into a box and handed it to him with a bright smile. “All finished,” he said warmly. “Go on, I’m sure he’s waiting for you to return- come and visit again later, and let me know how he liked it!”

Taking it from him and putting it safely in his pocket, Yhen’a gave his old friend a tight hug. “Thank you, again,” he murmured. “This means the world to me. I’ll pay-”

“You won’t,” Ahyo’ra interrupted. “I did this gladly, and you don’t owe me anything. It’s my pleasure, Yhen’a.” He drew back and smiled, placing his hands on the smaller Keeper’s shoulders. “The only thing I’ll ask of you is this. Keep our conversation in mind- make sure he knows how you feel, _all_ of how you feel. He isn’t your inferior, and he needs to be sure of that.”

“I will,” Yhen’a promised. He wasn’t about to let G’raha believe himself beneath him, and while he didn’t _think_ he did… he couldn’t help but worry a little.

Upon returning to Mor Dhona and the Crystal Tower, the first thing Yhen’a did was cross the Sentinels and head up toward the front door. He smiled softly and put his hand on it, then closed his eyes and took a slow breath. “I’m not late this year, at least,” he murmured. “Last year I was almost two whole moons behind. I hope you’re having sweet dreams, Raha.” He walked to the left side of the door and drew his hand down the frame until he found the seam he’d slipped his cache of gifts into- he pulled gently on the leather strap to tug the pouch loose, and then added his gift for this year, which was a necklace strung with glittering ruby and aquamarine beads. He tucked it inside and closed the pouch, then slipped it back in until all that remained was the barest hint of the leather strap, then drew back and smiled upward again. “Happy Starlight… ah, I wonder, did the Exarch find these-? He never mentioned it. I love you, Raha- I’ll be back again soon.”

To be truthful, Yhen’a thought blandly, it had slipped his mind, given everything _else_ that had been going on. He’d have to ask once he got back and this had all been settled.

He took a breath and stepped back from the doors, then wrapped the ambient aether around himself once more, this time focusing on the First- on _home._ G’raha was there, after all, and home was wherever _he_ was.

Upon stepping out of the portal, the first thing Yhen’a saw was red hair fading into white, ears flicking eagerly, bright ruby eyes- and then he laughed as G’raha launched himself at him and hugged him tight. “Yhen’a- welcome home!” G’raha drew back and smiled at him, then kissed him lightly- and Yhen’a, never willing to let him get away with kissing him just once, chased after him for another.

“I’m home,” Yhen’a murmured against G’raha’s lips- unnecessarily, really, but he couldn’t help himself… and G’raha melted a little at the words, leaning against him ever so slightly and nudging their noses together. “Ah, how I love you… I missed you!”

“And I missed you,” G’raha replied, kissing him once more. “Well, then- how was the Source, my darling? Did you accomplish what you set out to do?”

“I did.” Yhen’a chuckled and hugged him again, then muffled a yawn. “All in all it was a very successful trip, though I admit I didn’t sleep much. Things are still well, though, and thus I’ve nothing to concern myself with and no reason to return any time soon for anything more than delivering my Starlight gifts to my friends.”

G’raha smiled and drew back, taking his hands in his own and squeezing them gently before releasing one and leading him toward the Umbilicus and the portal inside that would lead them to their chambers. “I’m glad to hear it,” he said warmly. “I’ve a few gifts for you to send back as well- a book on histories of the First for Rammbroes, a few trinkets from the Tower for Cid, Biggs, and Wedge… ah! While you were gone, Alisaie returned from Ahm Araeng and said that you had best be prepared to stay for Starlight. All the Scions will be gathering in the Crystarium over the next day or two.”

Yhen’a grinned. “I’ve no plans to be anywhere else,” he said, squeezing G’raha’s hand as they walked up to the portal. Once through it and into the comforting atmosphere of the Tower proper, he yawned again. “Ah, what time is it, anyway…?”

“Evening,” G’raha said with a soft chuckle. “You’ve not been gone overlong- only a few days.” He paused, then tugged on Yhen’a’s hand to stop him and drew him close for a long kiss.

Unable to resist and finding no compelling reason to do so, Yhen’a kissed him back and wrapped his arms around him. It was _so_ tempting to give him the ring then and there, but he tempered his desire to do so with his internal promise to himself that doing so as he’d planned would be all the better. They’d away into Lakeland the following morning, and at twilight when both sun and moon stood vigil, he would give G’raha the ring in the ruins of the chapel they’d found while exploring before. It would, he told himself, be _perfect._

“Let’s get you to bed,” G’raha murmured, slowly running his hands down Yhen’a’s arms. Yhen’a shivered a little at the firm caress and the light in his love’s eyes, the soft curve of his lips and the gentle blush that colored his cheeks.

“Yes, to bed,” Yhen’a agreed, nosing at his cheek and then grinning before catching G’raha’s lower lip between his teeth, making him gasp just a little. “To sleep? … eventually.”

A couple of bells later, lulled by G’raha’s even breathing and the warmth of his body draped half across his own, Yhen’a smiled sleepily up at the ceiling of their room before turning his head a little to gaze out at the stars. High up as they were it felt like he could reach out and touch them, and that was a feeling he’d come to love, even detesting heights as he did… he was entirely safe, and he _knew_ it. The Tower would allow no harm to come to him because G’raha wouldn’t. He tightened his grip on his sleeping lover, eager for the following day- and a little nervous, too. It wasn’t that he thought G’raha would say _no,_ but… well… he supposed it was only natural, in a way, to be worried over major things like this. He’d faced down primals, Ascians, threats beyond measure without fear or nervousness- mostly- and yet this had him climbing the walls. He huffed softly at himself, but smiled nevertheless. It was a spark of normalcy in a life that was otherwise far from it, and he decided that it would be best if he held on tight with both hands.

The following morning, Yhen’a woke to a delicious scent wafting through the room. He opened his eyes slowly and blinked sleep away before pushing himself up and looking curiously toward the sitting room. He yawned and stretched, then pushed himself out of bed and smiled as he padded toward the door. The two didn’t allow others into their rooms- Yhen’a was the first G’raha had allowed, other than baby Lyna- and so he didn’t bother with trousers, instead letting his curiosity lead him. The sitting room was empty, he found, which surprised him- but breakfast was waiting for him on the low table near the hearth, which had a cheerful fire in it, and he spied a note tucked beneath the corner of the tray. He knelt and took the note, then smiled to himself as he read it.

_Good morning, my love! I’ve some work to attend to this morning and could not linger as I wished to, so hopefully you’ve woken before this got cold. You looked so peaceful that I couldn’t bear to wake you. I will return to the Tower in the mid-afternoon. Always yours—Raha_

Yhen’a smiled warmly and leaned over the plate, breathing in the delectable scent of bacon and grilled fish, then set the note aside and dug in cheerfully. It was a shame that G’raha was busy, but there would be plenty of time to make it to the chapel, and if they didn’t make it _that_ day, well… he’d live.

Probably.

Once he’d eaten and bathed, Yhen’a felt more than ready to face the day, if not still rather nervous. He checked his pocket almost obsessively as he headed out of their rooms and downstairs, then forced his hand away as he walked outside- it wouldn’t do to spoil the surprise if he happened on his love in town, or if someone else let it slip that he seemed unusually nervous. Thanking his lucky stars for his experience as a bard, he put all of those feelings behind his usual daily charm, but even that vanished when his boots crunched in quite a bit of snow. His eyes widened as he looked around, and then he broke into a grin when he saw a group of children having a snowball fight at the base of the Tower. He hurried down the stairs, grin widening, and gathered up enough to make a fairly good-sized snowball of his own before gently throwing it at the nearest child, who sputtered in surprise and looked at him wide-eyed. He affected his most innocent smile in return, and then he laughed as they yelled_ get him!_ and spent the rest of the morning frolicking in the snow.

When lunchtime rolled around the children mostly dispersed, though not before demanding a promise that he play with them again- he gave it gladly and waved as they left, then flicked the snow off of his ears and laughed to himself. He turned around to walk toward the Wandering Stairs and stopped short when he saw a mug of steaming liquid held out in front of him by a _very_ amused-looking Alphinaud. “I thought you might need this after the battle I just witnessed,” the young elezen said with a grin. “They trounced you thoroughly, O Warrior of Darkness.”

“That they did,” Yhen’a said cheerfully, taking the mug with a warm smile. “Thank you- I was thinking about going to get something, as it happens.”

Alphinaud chuckled. “It’s rare to see you out without your armor,” he said, gesturing to the long, form-fitting coat Yhen’a wore instead. “I see at least one lesson has stuck with you.”

Yhen’a shuddered. He’d been ill-equipped to venture into Ishgard, and though he hadn’t frozen to death the first day, he’d feared he might have. “Thankfully, Lord Haurchefant insisted I outfit myself properly before we left Camp Dragonhead,” he said, shaking his head and taking a drink of the tea. “I’m lucky my tail didn’t freeze off! I was just there yesterday, as it happens- Ishgard, I mean. It’s much more pleasant here.”

“Is it?” Alphinaud looked up at the clouds and held his hand out, catching a couple of fat snowflakes on his glove. “Gods, I hardly remember… it should feel like it _was_ just yesterday, and yet so much of that time is beginning to dull in my mind with all we’ve had to deal with in the interim.”

“Ah… that’s true.” Yhen’a smiled faintly and looked up at the sky, then took another sip. “Raha told me that the same thing happened to him. … I can still hear Lord Haurchefant’s voice, but… I know a day will come when I won’t be able to anymore. I’m not sure what I’ll do, then.”

“I can’t imagine what the Exarch has had to endure,” Alphinaud murmured. He looked up at Yhen’a and smiled softly. “It’s thanks to you that we don’t have to worry about Estinien in the same way. You listened to me when nobody else would, and we freed him from Nidhogg together.”

“A good thing I did, otherwise we wouldn’t be having this conversation,” Yhen’a said, lips quirking wryly. “You’re right, though. Estinien is important to me, even when he’s being somewhat less than personable.” He looked at Alphinaud, and his smile softened. “It’s been a long while since you and I had a journey together, hasn’t it?”

“That it has.” Alphinaud chuckled. “Infiltrating Eulmore was fun, I must admit. Sometimes I think it may have been better had I been _your_ assistant, but, well… it worked out better than I’d hoped. The Chais are truly wonderful people. I’ve already acquired gifts for them both.”

Yhen’a blinked, then swore inwardly and added their names to the already long list he had running. “They are,” he agreed. “I’m very fond of them. I’ll grab something for them to take next time I visit Eulmore.” He grimaced a little. “I’m not doing very well at finding gifts. So far all I’ve got is Raha’s, but I do know what I’m getting for Ryne.” And you, he added silently, checking Alphinaud’s name off of his list- art supplies seemed obvious, but he was _so_ good at it, and it was something he truly enjoyed doing.

Alphinaud brightened. “I was going to ask your advice on what to get the Exarch, in fact,” he said. “I’m glad you mentioned it. What did you get him?”

“Oh.” Yhen’a blinked, then colored and cleared his throat. “Well. … it’s probably fine if I tell you, seeing as how I’m going to give it to him tonight. Here, come with me.” He gestured for Alphinaud to follow him away from the base of the Tower, and once they were well out of view, took the box out of his pocket and opened it for Alphinaud to see.

“By the _Twelve,_” Alphinaud breathed, looking closely at it. “This is- did you _make_ this?!”

Yhen’a grinned, ears flicking merrily. “I did,” he said, “but I had help with the metals. I’m not good enough with that sort of fine work- I’d have spilled them everywhere.” The ring did look lovely in the daylight, even though it was cloudy- the gold and bluespirit shone against the dark wood. “I don’t know where he vanished to this morning, but I hope he comes back soon- I’m planning on taking him out into Lakeland and giving it to him in one of our favorite spots.”

Alphinaud smiled and hugged him tight. “Congratulations, my friend,” he said, his voice shaking just a little. “Gods, I’m so happy for you- if _anyone_ deserves such happiness, it is _surely_ you- and him as well!” He drew back, wiping at his eyes and laughing helplessly. “Heaven help me, I’ve become sappier than Alisaie- don’t ever tell her I said that, either! Will the two of you have a wedding, then?”

Yhen’a laughed at that and put the ring safely back in his pocket. “I’ll use it as leverage,” he said with a grin, and laughed again when Alphinaud playfully shoved his arm. “As for the rest, I don’t know. I’m going to leave that up to him. The Crystarium is his home, these are his people- I don’t know how comfortable he would be in being the center of attention in that regard.”

“A good point,” Alphinaud mused. “Ser Aymeric mentioned once that he would have occasionally preferred his personal life to be a bit less visible. Well, should you choose not to, we will be no less happy for you- but in the event you decide to, I hope you’ll have us all there!”

“You’re my family,” Yhen’a said, slinging an arm around him and smiling. “Of course you’ll all be there. You all mean the very world to me.”

Alphinaud smiled up at him and nodded. “As you do to us,” he said warmly. “I don’t know what he’s gotten up to this morning, but I would hazard a guess that it’s _probably_ the same thing you did when you vanished into thin air these past couple of days.”

Yhen’a grinned. “Maybe,” he said, amused- and then he blinked. “You didn’t need me, did you?”

“No, nothing like that,” Alphinaud replied, shaking his head. “We _are_ planning a small get-together, though, and we wanted to set a time.” He paused, then tilted his head. “… are you sure you don’t want to ask the Exarch on Starlight’s Eve?”

“Quite.” Yhen’a smiled faintly and shrugged. “Maybe that would be more romantic, but I don’t want to take him from the celebrations that will be happening here. It’s important to me that he have time with _all_ his loved ones, not just me… and the place I want to take him is a fair walk from here.”

Alphinaud smiled warmly and nodded. “That’s good of you,” he said. “He’ll appreciate it- I know he will. He’ll want you with him as well, I’m sure of it.”

The two strolled back into the plaza, and Yhen’a finished his tea and smiled happily at Alphinaud. “Thank you for this,” he said, “and for the boost in confidence. I was starting to panic a little, not that I think he’ll say no. … I’m just nervous for no good reason, I suppose.”

“A common occurrence, as I understand it,” Alphinaud said, amused. “I’ll make sure nobody comes seeking the two of you tonight. Twelve go with you, Yhen’a- though I’m sure you don’t need luck when it comes to this. I think he’ll be more than happy.”

“Thank you, little brother. I think he will too.” Yhen’a grinned and ruffled Alphinaud’s hair, then smiled and waved to him as he headed back toward the Pendants… and then he glanced up at the sky and huffed a little. It wasn’t anywhere near mid-afternoon yet, though it was closer, and he was nearly beside himself with needing G’raha to return.

Ultimately, he decided to go back inside, and he sat down in the Ocular with his composition book and tapped his pen against his cheek for a second before beginning to write. Composition was always a good distraction, and as it happened, it worked so well that he almost didn’t notice when G’raha walked in a couple of bells later. “Yhen’a,” G’raha said, surprised- but he smiled warmly and hurried over to him, then gave him a hug and a kiss when he rose. “Were you waiting for me?”

“I’m glad you’re back,” Yhen’a said, laughing and kissing him again- his heart hammered in his chest, and he made sure he didn’t hold him too close for too long. He didn’t want to give him cause to worry. “I was waiting for you, yes- I was hoping to steal you away into Lakeland this evening. Are you free?”

G’raha blinked, then smiled slowly and took Yhen’a’s hands. “Are you inviting me on an adventure in the snow, my Warrior?” he asked, ears wiggling and tail swaying eagerly.

Yhen’a smiled warmly and laced their fingers together, nervousness mingling with excitement. “I am,” he said, and before he could say much else, G’raha kissed him. He returned the kiss, squeezing his lover’s hands gently, and then laughed quietly against his mouth. “Right now, as in- we need to leave _now._”

“Now I’m truly interested,” G’raha said, eyes shining. “I’m glad my business took me outside today, else I’d not have been dressed for the weather!”

Yhen’a blinked, then took a good look at him. He wore what he’d been in when they’d gone out adventuring in the first place, and he looked wonderful in it- the bard smiled and kissed him on the cheek. “Well, then, clearly it must be fate,” he teased. He kept hold of G’raha’s right hand and led him toward the door of the Ocular, then out the front door. His breath hitched when he looked up at the sky and saw that the clouds had parted, giving way to the late afternoon sunlight, and he bit his lip hard- it really _would_ be perfect, he realized, and he had to work at keeping his eyes clear as the two headed down the stairs and toward the Amaro launch.

“Where are we going?” G’raha asked curiously, looking at him and tilting his head.

“You’ll see,” Yhen’a said, glancing at him and winking. He hoped he didn’t sound as nervous as he felt- but if he did, G’raha said nothing about it. He was fairly certain his hand would be shaking if it weren’t clasped tightly in the Seeker’s, and the other he kept buried in his pocket, gripping the box tightly.

G’raha looked at him with a grin, ears perked up and forward. “Now I really can’t wait to see what you’ve got planned! I hope it won’t take long to get there, the curiosity may drive me mad!”

Yhen’a laughed. “I hope not,” he said, shaking his head as they climbed the stairs up to the launch. “It won’t be a long flight, but it’s definitely too far to walk… at least, it is for today.” He’d planned to drop the amaro off at a nearby fort and walk the rest of the way, and for _that_ there was _just_ enough time… gods, but he prayed they’d make it- the symbolism was _so_ important to him, and he knew it would be to G’raha as well.

The flight to the fort was pleasant, and once he’d made sure the amaro would be well taken care of- he imagined they’d teleport back instead of flying- Yhen’a turned to G’raha with a smile. G’raha was looking around at the others, and he hummed softly. “I’ll need to make certain everyone has a Starlight feast,” he mused. “I’d already begun thinking on the logistics, but this makes it more immediate.”

“We can deliver it ourselves, if you want to,” Yhen’a said, taking his hand again and leading him out into the woods. He glanced at the sky- they had about half a bell until the sun sank beyond the horizon, which was _just_ enough time to make it to the chapel. He tried to swallow his nerves as they walked through the snow, and struggled to resist the urge to tug on G’raha’s hand to make him hurry- the Seeker was awed by the view, and he didn’t want to rush him even as much as he wanted to _get there already._

G’raha looked at him with a bright smile. “You’d be willing?” he asked, and when Yhen’a nodded, he squeezed his hand. “It would mean the world to the troops to see you. They all admire you- you’ve done so much to boost their morale, even before the Light was banished for good.”

Yhen’a smiled softly. “Maybe,” he said, “but I think they’ll be just as thrilled to see you, Raha. There’s not one soul in Lakeland who doesn’t look up to you… including me.”

G’raha blinked, then blushed and ducked his head, ears falling back a little. “Yhen’a… you’ve no reason to look up to me. I ran you through the Twelveswood on a fool’s errand, Azeyma help me!”

“You did,” Yhen’a mused. “I nearly kicked you into the lake for it.” He grinned and squeezed G’raha’s hand, keeping Ahyo’ra’s advice in mind- now would be a good time to discuss it, he thought, and that would save the very best for the chapel. “I’m glad I didn’t. Of course I admire you, Raha- I love you, as you were then and as you are now.”

“I love you, too,” G’raha murmured, looking at him with a blush splashed across his cheeks and nose that had nothing to do with the cold. “I’m honored. We’ll go together, then, and I’ll consider myself all the luckier.”

Yhen’a lifted his hand and kissed his gloved fingers, then returned it to his side and watched him fondly as they walked through the snow before turning his gaze forward. “Have you thought much on what you want now that this is all finished?” he asked, now doing his level best not to look at him- he could _feel_ his surprised stare. “I know it hasn’t been all that long, but… you had dreams the whole time, didn’t you?”

G’raha was quiet long enough that Yhen’a finally glanced over at him- he was looking straight ahead, lips pressed firmly together and brow knit. “I have,” he finally said, his voice barely audible over the snow that crunched beneath their boots, “but not overmuch. Lingering on it is somewhat painful. I am sure I will think of many things as time goes on.”

“Tell me?” Yhen’a asked, his voice gentle. He gave G’raha’s hand a light squeeze, and G’raha looked at him with a pained expression. “I want to hear it, Raha- whatever it is.”

“I…” G’raha swallowed thickly and looked down, then looked ahead with a faint smile. “Very well. We have been lucky thus far that time between the First and the Source has been more or less stable, but that won’t last much longer. I have no idea of how long, seeing as how things have not yet begun to change- but I fear, given how sudden it was before, that it will be so again and we’ll have no warning. I’ve tried not to dwell on it… but that is the reality I have to face- _we_ have to face.”

Yhen’a closed his eyes briefly, chest aching. He’d tried not to think about it either, but G’raha was right- there was no avoiding it, and thus he would _have_ to make a choice- and sooner than later. “That’s true,” he said softly.

G’raha squeezed his hand tight- almost tight enough to hurt, given the crystal, but Yhen’a didn’t care- and he didn’t want him to let go. “I fought all this time, all these years, to bring you here and save you,” he murmured. “I didn’t expect this outcome, which you are well aware of. I’m glad for it- Azeyma, I couldn’t be _more_ thankful- but we will still be forced into a permanent goodbye. It was worth it, this I do not doubt, but…” He took a shaky breath. “I don’t dare speak of it, even to you. It’s unforgivably selfish of me.”

“_Raha._” Yhen’a shook his head and squeezed his hand back, and smiled at him when he looked over in surprise. “It isn’t selfish to want something to last forever. I do, too. … you know that you can ask it of me, don’t you?”

“I couldn’t,” G’raha replied, a look of vague horror crossing his face. “I _wouldn’t._ You are far more important than I-… than what I want.”

Yhen’a looked ahead again, going back and forth with himself. He knew he _could_ ask, or at least it seemed like it, but… well, this was what he himself had been wrestling with, wasn’t it? “Well,” he finally said, “we don’t have to think about it now, but… you know there’s nothing you can’t ask me, don’t you?”

G’raha smiled faintly. “In theory,” he replied. “Perhaps not in practice, but in theory.” He looked around, then up at the hill they’d started climbing. “Ah! We’re going back t-to…?” He stuttered a little and flushed, ears falling back. “Azeyma preserve,” he muttered.

Yhen’a laughed outright and pulled him close for a hug, then grinned and tugged on his hand as he sped up a little. “You’ve figured it out,” he teased. “What better time to go than now? I want to see what it looks like in the snow!”

“I’m sure it will be covered in it,” G’raha replied, shaking his head and blushing scarlet. “I _hope_ you aren’t planning on a repeat of last time!”

“You’re saying you don’t want to?” Yhen’a grinned roguishly at him, then laughed when G’raha let go of his hand to shove him. He staggered a couple steps, then grabbed his hands and pulled him close. “_Really?_”

G’raha’s laughed helplessly. “In _this_ weather?! Nothing stops you, does it?”

Yhen’a chuckled and laced their fingers together again, eyes on the top of the hill. “Very little when it comes to you,” he agreed. “Very, _very_ little.”

As he’d hoped, they reached the chapel just as the sun was setting. The two approached quietly and slowly, hand in hand as ever, and Yhen’a’s lips parted in surprise as he looked around. The chapel was indeed covered in snow, but there were places inside where the snow hadn’t really reached… and through the cracks between the stones now grew a veritable field of snowdrops. They stood and stared silently, and then Yhen’a smiled and tugged gently on G’raha’s hand, walking carefully on the stones to avoid the flowers. It was perfect, _perfect._

“This is enchanting,” G’raha breathed, looking around the chapel and then up at the sky. “It was lovely in the summer, but _this…!_”

“It’s perfect,” Yhen’a murmured, giving voice to his thoughts- and when G’raha looked back at him, his lips curved. He’d not thought much on _how_ he would go about this, only that he _would,_ and his heart was beating so hard he feared it was audible in the stillness around them. He didn’t _need_ to be so nervous, but something about it gave him a rush- this all felt so real, so _normal,_ and he embraced it wholly.

G’raha studied him for a breath or two, then gave him a soft, gentle kiss. “You’re perfect,” he whispered, ruby eyes shining in the fading light.

Any other time he would have made a joke at his own expense, but this time Yhen’a accepted the compliment with nothing more than the smile he couldn’t seem to shake. He kissed G’raha again, the same soft brush of his lips as before, and took the box out of his pocket. “I’ve thought a lot about what I want out of the future, myself,” he began, his voice shaking a little. “It’s always a little different, save for one thing- _you._ These past few moons have been the best of my life, Raha… because you’ve been here with me.” He smiled helplessly. “I’m so in love with you that sometimes I can barely breathe, and I want that feeling to last forever- I want _us_ to last forever.” G’raha’s eyes widened and filled with tears as Yhen’a slowly lifted the box and opened it, revealing the ring within. “Say you want the same… say you want nothing more,” he breathed.

“Yhen’a,” G’raha managed, his free hand coming to press to his mouth. “Oh, gods…” He stared down at the ring, then looked back up at Yhen’a’s face, looked into his eyes as his breath hitched. “I do, I- more than _anything,_ I do-!”

Yhen’a’s knees nearly buckled, but he kept hold of himself and burst into tears as G’raha did the same. The two embraced and held on to one another tightly for a long moment, and then Yhen’a drew back and took G’raha’s left hand, eased his glove off and carefully slipped the ring on his third finger. It slid on easily- it was very, very nearly perfect, and Yhen’a felt the last worry he’d had fall away. “Then here in the sight of Menphina and Azeyma, I swear myself to you,” he said, his voice shaking all over again. “I am yours, _only_ yours. All of me, everything I am, without question- I _love_ you, Raha!”

G’raha looked up from his hand and wrapped his arms around him, silently struggling with himself as his tail lashed back and forth. “I love you,” he finally managed, his voice muffled. “Oh, Yhen’a… I make you the same vow- I have _always_ been yours, and that will _never_ change. I swear myself to you in the sight of Azeyma and Menphina, and I pray… I pray they ensure that we…”

“We will,” Yhen’a said fiercely, holding on tighter before drawing back and looking G’raha in the eye. “I’m not leaving. When the time comes that the First and the Source are no longer in sync, I will remain here, with you, where I belong.”

That startled him- his ears shot straight up, and his tail fluffed to twice its normal size. G’raha’s lips parted, but he didn’t say anything just yet, staring at him in wide-eyed disbelief. “You… Yhen’a, you…!”

Yhen’a took G’raha’s left hand and pressed it to his heart, still racing as though he’d run up the hill twice over. “I am as human as you are,” he replied, “as _everyone_ is, and I have given enough of myself! I watched you walk away once, almost _twice,_ and I won’t do it again. Maybe it’s selfish, but if I haven’t earned the right to be yet then Menphina help me, I don’t know what more I can do- but I know _this._ You are my _everything,_ I’ve regretted not telling you that back then from the very second the doors closed, and I won’t, I _won’t_ leave you behind!”

G’raha closed his eyes briefly, then kissed Yhen’a hard- and Yhen’a melted into it, melted against him as he held him ever closer. His mind reeled, and when the kiss broke, G’raha framed his face with his hands and rested their foreheads together, gently caressing his cheekbones with his thumbs. “My dearest love,” he breathed, “my inspiration… I hardly know what to say, only- only that I love you so very much, and I… when I think of the future, and what I want- this is it. This is _all_.”

“It’s yours,” Yhen’a said softly, a dreamy smile curving his lips as the full moon shone overhead. “I’m yours.”

“You’re mine,” G’raha breathed, smiling back at him. “I’m yours, now and forever.” He looked up at the sky, then drew back just enough to look at the ring, which caught the light and glittered on his finger. “Gods, Yhen’a, this is stunning, you… where did you _find_ something like this?”

Yhen’a blushed. “I made it,” he murmured, and G’raha stared at him in surprise. “A dear friend did the metalworking, but I made the ring itself and the paths the metal follows. Do you recognize the wood?”

G’raha blinked, then lifted his hand and stared hard at it before sucking in a breath. “Your bow,” he said, his voice soft and reverent. “Your- this is the bow you used during the expedition, isn’t it!”

“It is.” Yhen’a smiled dreamily once more and wrapped his arms around G’raha’s waist, studying the ring with him. “I kept it even after it broke- I couldn’t part with it. I’m glad I did, because it’s never looked so perfect as it does right now.”

The two stood quietly for a moment, and then G’raha kissed him again- and Yhen’a held him close to his heart, kissed him back as though they were the only two in the world. The silence of the church seemed perfect for this moment, and the symbolism of the snowdrops wasn’t lost on him… _hope, rebirth, purity._ More than _ever_ he was sure he’d made the right decision, and he could only revel in the absolute perfection of all of it. He felt G’raha’s aether wrap around him even as their kiss lingered, felt them fade from the world wrapped tight in one another, and when they reappeared in the Tower, he couldn’t have _possibly_ been happier.

G’raha’s hands slipped between them, carefully unbuttoned Yhen’a’s long jacket and drifted beneath, settling on his back before gently tugging his shirt out of his trousers. When he set them on Yhen’a’s bare skin, the bard arched against him and gasped at how cold he was, the crystal especially- G’raha laughed low and rich against his mouth, then drew his hands up his back and down his sides as he kissed him fiercely. “My Yhen’a,” he breathed, “_mine-!_”

“Yours,” Yhen’a murmured, struggling to do the same- the jacket he wore was rather complicated, but he figured it out eventually, muddled as he was. The two left a literal trail of clothing as they made their way into their bedroom, falling into bed wearing nothing at all- Yhen’a felt wonderfully dizzy, almost drunk on him and the press of his body against his own. G’raha rolled him onto his back and sucked hard at his pulse point, making him arch up and groan as he tipped his head to grant him better access. He wanted G’raha to mark him, maybe all over- he didn’t want to _hide_ this. The Seeker’s possessiveness delighted him, and he scraped his nails down his back and relished the dark growl he got in response. “Raha-aah…”

“I’ll never get enough,” G’raha mumbled against his throat, kissing and licking freckled skin as he shifted over him, reached down between them and took him in hand. Yhen’a let out a cry and pressed his hips upward, and G’raha shivered hard, tail lashing back and forth.

“Don’t make me _wait!_” Yhen’a managed, gripping his biceps tight as his mind threatened to take all coherent thought and just disappear. It felt _beyond_ good, the hot mouth at his neck and the hand between his legs- he could only think of what was to come as he spread his legs further, planted his feet on the mattress and shifted imploringly. “_Raha!_”

The sound of his name and the sweet pleas seemed to drive G’raha to absolute distraction, and he fumbled for the glass vial on the bedside table, not _quite_ able to reach it but unwilling to move. He finally groaned faintly and moved away just long enough to snatch it, then returned to where he was with slick fingers that slowly drew along his rear. Yhen’a lifted his knees almost to his shoulders, and he moaned shakily and dropped his head back onto the pillow as G’raha rubbed his entrance. “Beautiful,” G’raha murmured, brushing a kiss against his inner thigh and then sucking a mark onto it as he carefully pressed a crystalline finger inside of him.

Yhen’a shivered, tail thumping on the mattress before coming to coil around G’raha’s arm. It felt strange and different and _wonderful,_ and he groaned and gripped his lover’s shoulder with one hand while the other rose to toy with his own ears, sending sparks up and down his spine. G’raha gasped faintly at the sight, and Yhen’a looked up at him and grinned before lifting his hand from his shoulder to his ear. He ran his fingers over it as G’raha tipped his head into his touch and sighed happily, and his grin softened to a smile- really, he was _adorable._

“I wish you could see yourself right now,” G’raha managed, obliging him gladly- he drew his finger out and carefully added another, moving very slowly to make sure he didn’t hurt him. “The way you’re looking at me- I want to _claim_ you!”

Yhen’a arched and gasped softly, the added finger stinging a little. He was about to tell him it was all right when he shifted, and then a long whine spilled from his lips as G’raha wrapped his left hand around his aching length and stroked him slowly. “Oh… _oh,_ Raha, y-you…! More, _more,_ please-!” He grit his teeth and then gasped as G’raha drew his fingers out almost all the way, then pressed them in and curled them _just_ so. The fur on his tail fluffed out as his eyes widened, and G’raha watched him intently as he did it again, made him shake and cry out. It seemed to go on for a blissful eternity, and by the time he was ready he was almost incoherent, but he could think of nothing he wanted more than this, than _him._ He grabbed for G’raha and urged him over top of him, took the vial and slicked his own hand before reaching down and wrapping his fingers around him- G’raha’s hips jerked, and it was _his_ turn to cry out.

G’raha kissed him hard, then reached down and positioned himself carefully before smiling at him- Yhen’a’s heart skipped a beat at the sight, he was so _beautiful-!_ “Tell me if it hurts,” he murmured. “You’re ready-?” When Yhen’a nodded vigorously, he grinned and leaned down to nip at his mouth, then took a breath and slowly pressed forward. Yhen’a grit his teeth and arched his back, pressed his hips forward as best he could- he wanted him, he _wanted_ him, and he didn’t want to wait another _second._

When G’raha was fully seated within him, Yhen’a panted and shivered, clinging tightly and struggling to right himself. It felt so good, _so_ good, and he only wanted more of it- but he couldn’t quite bring himself to let go, not yet. It felt so perfect having him like this, so close he could feel every heartbeat, every _breath._ He wondered absently if this was how G’raha felt when their positions were reversed- the intimacy was stunning, and it was _entirely_ welcome. “R-Raha… aah, I…”

“Yhen’a, my love… ngh, you feel so good…” G’raha dropped his forehead to rest against Yhen’a’s neck, almost feverishly hot. His loose hair shrouded them both when he lifted his head to kiss him, and Yhen’a ran his hand through it and rubbed one of his ears, making him huff and shiver. “Gh-!”

Yhen’a shifted a little and loosened his grip, relaxed his legs and whimpered a little. “Please, Raha,” he breathed. “I w-want…”

G’raha bit his lip and nodded, then kissed him again. The first roll of his hips made Yhen’a’s eyes roll back, and he dug his fingers into G’raha’s back and arched beneath him again. It felt _incredible,_ and Yhen’a could think of nothing else- he gasped and grit his teeth, then cried out when G’raha picked up the pace. The world narrowed to the two of them and no further as Yhen’a saw stars with his eyes wide open, molten fire coursing through him with each thrust, and with each movement he found himself dragged closer and closer to the edge. He was overwhelmed in the best way, and he closed his eyes tight and met him thrust for thrust- G’raha gasped and shook, ears falling flat against his head. “Y-Yhen’a, I’m-!”

Yhen’a held on tighter and _wailed_ when G’raha lost control. He couldn’t have described the way it felt if he’d tried- he lost himself in sensation, and he let himself drift when G’raha collapsed panting on top of him. His lashes fluttered as he breathed him in, burying his nose in his hair and wrapping both arms and legs around him- nothing else mattered, _nothing._ It was a long moment before G’raha drew back and looked down at him almost worriedly, and he smiled dreamily back up at him and lifted a hand to cup his cheek. “Love you,” he breathed. “Love you so much… m-my Raha…”

“I love you,” G’raha breathed back, kissing the corner of his mouth and then deeper, lingering a few heartbeats before slowly pulling out of him and dragging a soft whine from him in the process. He sat back and looked at him, then reached out and took him in hand again- Yhen’a gasped and grit his teeth, hands scrabbling at the blankets as he leaned down and lapped at his tip. His climax was sudden, _blinding_, and he went limp in the aftermath, fully relaxed and almost melting into the mattress. G’raha sat back after he was good and certain that Yhen’a could take no more, then crawled back over him and kissed him long and slow.

Yhen’a held him close, kissed him back and nudged their noses together, then smiled wearily as G’raha drew back and retrieved a clean cloth from the bedside table. He was careful and thorough as he cleaned them both, and once that was done, he stretched out next to him again- and Yhen’a nestled against his side, pillowed his head on his shoulder and slowly let his breath out. “Mm.. I could sleep all day after that,” he mumbled, pleasantly weary. He trailed his fingertips along the seam of crystal and skin on G’raha’s right side, smiled at the way he shifted and sighed in pleasure at the gentle touch. “You’re amazing, you know…”

G’raha laughed softly and held him tighter. “It’s enough that you think so,” he murmured. “I, ah… I couldn’t quite manage to…”

“Ah, it was even better,” Yhen’a said fervently- he _meant_ it, too. He’d never had anything like _that_ happen to him before, and he dearly hoped it would happen again. “I could focus entirely on you- I wanted to, _needed_ to.”

“Well,” G’raha murmured, “that’s good, then.” He kissed him on the forehead, then rolled onto his side and pulled Yhen’a close, nestling comfortably against him and laughing a little when one of his ears flicked against his cheek. “I love you, Yhen’a.”

“I love you,” Yhen’a murmured, yawning softly. He felt himself drifting off to sleep, and he smiled as he did so- he couldn’t have imagined anything more perfect, not even _close._ The night had gone as wonderfully as he’d hoped it would, and he held the almost giddy joy he still felt close to his heart as he fell asleep.

G’raha woke him mischievously, hands and mouth igniting his blood in his veins and making him purr loudly- Yhen’a was _all_ too pleased to indulge him, and thus it was a little while before they rose for the day. G’raha seemed on top of the world, singing happily as he dressed and pulling Yhen’a close to scatter kisses across his face- Yhen’a laughed and blushed, took his hands and kissed his palms. “I’ve a surprise for you as well, my love,” G’raha said, nudging their noses together and kissing him again. “It’s something I’ve been thinking about for a long while now, but I… well. You’ll understand soon. Come with me!”

Yhen’a blinked, then blushed and flicked his ears. “Raha- you’ve already given me the best gift I could have ever asked for! What else could you possibly have in mind?”

“You’ll see.” The grin G’raha gave him was reminiscent of the young man he’d been when they’d met, and Yhen’a laughed and nodded. “It’s not far, I promise.”

“Now I’m curious,” Yhen’a replied, ears forward as the two walked to the portal and left their suite. “If it’s not far, it must be inside the Tower- ah, is _that_ what you were up to yesterday?”

G’raha grinned, ears wiggling. “Maybe,” he replied teasingly. “You’ll have to wait and see, at least a few moments more.” He passed right by the portal that led to the Umbilicus, and Yhen’a blinked before hurrying after him, then taking his hand and squeezing it gently.

“I don’t want to get lost, after all,” Yhen’a said, looking at him and winking. G’raha’s smile in return warmed him through, and he laced their fingers together and looked around at the Tower as they walked. He was _very_ curious now, but he was content to let G’raha have his moment of surprise- he’d had his own, after all, and he couldn’t stop thinking about it. He smiled dreamily, moving his thumb to gently rub against the ring, and G’raha looked at him and colored beautifully. “Ah… I’m so happy…”

“So am I,” G’raha murmured, kissing him on the cheek and then smiling helplessly. “I’d have never dared to speak of this wish out loud were it not for you acting first. You are my entire heart, Yhen’a- you have been all along.”

Yhen’a’s smile widened. “I feel the same,” he murmured. “I couldn’t possibly do without you.”

They continued through the Tower, this time going down instead of up- Yhen’a had wondered if they were going to see the snow glittering atop the throne, but that would be saved for later, it seemed. He couldn’t help but wonder what it would look like… would the water have frozen, or would the crystals keep it flowing? He continued his idle train of thought as they walked down what seemed like an endless train of stairs, listening to the echo of their footsteps and the contented hum of the aether around them. None of this looked familiar, not even from his original foray inside, and he flicked his ears curiously, wondering where they were.

G’raha led him to the bottom of the stairs and then straight ahead down a long corridor. Before they reached the end, he paused and looked at Yhen’a with a warm smile. “This will be a bit complicated to explain,” he said, “so… pray, bear with me as I make a feeble attempt. I promise, it will all make sense.”

Yhen’a tilted his head curiously, but followed G’raha around the corner and then stopped in his tracks and gasped. There before them was a beautiful tree wrought entirely in crystal, right down to the leaves. It was huge, easily as big as the ones he’d seen in the Shroud or Rak’tika, and his lips parted in surprise as he slowly walked towards it and stared up at it. “Menphina,” he breathed. “What- what is this?”

“The ‘heart’ of the Tower, I suppose,” G’raha said, coming up to stand next to him, smiling up at it. “When first I sealed the Tower I felt compelled to come here, and I knew when I saw it that it had something to do with how I would proceed. It’s a life tree, or rather, meant to resemble the ones from legend- I’m sure you’ve heard all the stories. Faerie tales all… except this one. You can touch it, if you want to… it won’t do anything to you.”

Yhen’a walked closer and examined it, then frowned and looked closer at the ‘bark’. It _looked_ like sap, or what might have been sap in a real tree, but… he had a feeling he knew what it was, and it made him vaguely ill. “This is blood, isn’t it?” he asked quietly, turning back towards G’raha as his ears fell back.

“It is.” G’raha walked up beside him and hummed softly as he peered at the tree, then looked at him and smiled sheepishly. “Mine, in this case, seeing as how I am the one presently bound to the Tower. So, when I came in here I had no idea what to do, and so I touched the tree out of sheer curiosity and it pricked my fingers. I felt like a fool, believe me…” He slowly lifted his right hand and looked down at it. “… at least, until _this_ started. The crystal quickly spread up my hand, but stopped at my wrist- I heard a voice tell me that I’d done well, and that it was time to sleep. That’s… really all that I recall. I woke looking as I do now, which was an _extreme_ shock, but I’d more or less accepted before I passed out that this was going to be my lot in some form.”

Yhen’a looked at the tree, then at G’raha. He took his right hand and studied it for a second, then lifted it and pressed a kiss to the palm, gazing at him all the while. “I’m sorry,” he finally breathed. “You must have been terrified.”

G’raha smiled softly. “I was,” he murmured, “and stayed that way right up until I learned there was hope to save you. It was in that moment that I understood the weight of what I’d committed to, and, Yhen’a… I swear to you- it’s been _worth_ it, every single step.”

Thinking of G’raha alone and frightened was upsetting beyond belief, and Yhen’a closed his eyes briefly, pressing his hand to his chest and studying his face again. “Raha, I… seeing this, seeing _you, _I…!”

“All is well, my dearest,” G’raha murmured, shifting close and brushing a whisper-soft kiss against his lips. “Those days are behind me, _all_ of them. Similarly, I was struggling with the idea of what to get you for Starlight, but your gift- and your promise- pointed me this way as surely as my instincts did the day I shut myself in.”

Yhen’a blinked and looked up at the tree, then looked at G’raha, eyes widening a little. “Can I- is it possible to undo this? Can I _free_ you?!”

“Ah- no,” G’raha said, biting his lip. “This is permanent. I will be bound to the Tower forever. … but, for _you…_” He took a shaky breath, then smiled, tears slowly filling his eyes. “When you promised me that you wouldn’t leave, that you would stay with me when time began to work against us… ah, how my heart swelled with joy-!” He faltered and paused, closing his eyes briefly, then continued. “… and yet I cannot help but feel unforgivably selfish in being thankful that you would consider such a thing. All that I have done has been to ensure that you would live on, that the Warrior of Light would live on. I am… I am not ashamed to admit, when it is just you and me standing here, that yours was the only life that truly concerned me- but even so, I cannot stomach the idea of saving you and then keeping you for myself, for the First, when the Source still has desperate need of you.” He sighed and lifted a hand to run through his hair, looking up at the tree. “… and yet the idea of watching you leave for the last time is heartrending. Thus… did I come up with this idea, though I’ll admit that it’s been on my mind for quite some time.”

Yhen’a bit his lip, then moved so he stood in front of G’raha, hands resting lightly at his waist. “Raha,” he murmured. “You say that like you’re taking responsibility for my decision. You aren’t- it’s _mine._ This is what _I_ want.”

G’raha blinked, then smiled at him and kissed him on the nose. “I know. … but you wouldn’t, had things gone as they were meant to- or rather, as I expected them to. I think, perhaps, _this_ is what was _meant_ to be… and thus do I look to history for a solution, as well as some, ah… fancy spellcasting, not to be too vague about it.” At Yhen’a’s blank look, he grinned. “Didn’t you listen to the songs I taught you? Well, allow me to remind you, since you seem to have forgotten- despite _brazenly_ playing them on the piano whenever I was in earshot.”

Yhen’a grinned and nipped at his lower lip. “It worked,” he teased. “You jumped like you’d stepped in hot coals every time I started.”

“It did, you _insufferable_ Keeper!” G’raha laughed helplessly and hugged him, then smiled and tapped him on the nose. “To _continue,_ then, it has to do with how control of the Tower was granted- and how I, myself, wound up with the Eye in the first place. Think back to when first we met Doga and Unei, and the things we learned from them once I had the full strength of my blood restored to me. Princess Salina entrusted her blood to my forbearer, a Seeker named Desch, who was one of her closest advisors, to ensure it wouldn’t die out when the Tower was buried and all within forced into slumber. It is through her actions that we are here today… and that, my love, is the gift I wish to give you. That, and this.” G’raha pulled a box of his own from his pocket and smiled, holding it out to him.

Yhen’a’s lips parted in surprise, and he looked from G’raha’s face to the box, then back. “Raha, you…?”

G’raha smiled gently. “Take it,” he said. “I’ll explain once you’ve opened it.” Yhen’a slowly obeyed, and G’raha watched eagerly as Yhen’a opened it to reveal one of the crystal ‘leaves’ strung as a pendant on a woven cord. “I won’t have you bind yourself to the Tower as I did, my love, but another idea occurred to me thanks to my experience with this tree. I am an extension of the Tower, and thus… thus, if you were to bind yourself to _me,_ we will once again have time on our side.”

Yhen’a’s jaw dropped in shock. “Raha-!” His mind chased its tail helplessly for a minute or two as he stared at the leaf, and then he slowly looked back up at G’raha. “So then I… I can stay here with you, I can… I can _stay_ with you-?”

“In theory, yes.” G’raha colored and clasped his hands, clearly nervous about his reaction. “It hasn’t been done before, at least, not in this way- but my theory is that _if_ Salina had been able to access the tree, she may have chosen this route instead of him having a normal lifespan. Had he lived on long enough, as long as I undoubtedly will, he would have been the one to open the Tower again when you came along. I… didn’t dare think on this until we were in the church the first time.” His blush darkened, and he cleared his throat. “What you said about the vows we shared, that we would thence renew every year… made me wonder about the possibility. I still don’t know what will happen, Yhen’a, and there’s a chance it won’t work- it isn’t the safest thing, manipulating aether thusly. I only know that there should be nothing that binds you, in the same way as binds me. If you want to say no, I-”

“Yes,” Yhen’a interrupted, ears perked forward and tail swaying eagerly. “_Yes._ I will, I _want_ this.” He took G’raha’s left hand in his right, caressed the ring again and then drew him close for a long, slow kiss. “Tell me what it will take. _Anything._”

G’raha closed his eyes tight and bowed his head, then wrapped his arms around Yhen’a and held him tight. “I love you so much,” he breathed. He held on for a second, then stepped back and smiled tearfully. “Put the pendant on, and let the leaf rest against your skin. … and know that even if this fails- I won’t give up. If you want this as badly as I do, I will _never_ give up.”

Yhen’a took the necklace from the box and carefully clasped it around his neck, then let it rest against his collarbone. The crystal was cool against his skin, though it warmed rapidly, and he smiled faintly before looking back at G’raha and nodding. “I’m ready,” he said firmly.

G’raha nodded slightly and held his hand out, and for a few seconds, nothing happened. A ruby-red glow appeared at his fingertips, and suddenly it was familiar- this was what Unei and Doga had done, Yhen’a thought. He had _no_ Allagan blood, though, and G’raha had been born with it, which must have been why he wasn’t sure it would work- and then the glittering sphere danced through the air towards him, splashing against the crystal and into his body. He felt _warm,_ that was the first thing he noticed, and he closed his eyes- when he opened them again nothing looked different, and he tilted his head, flicking one ear. He was about to ask if it had worked when the leaf suddenly became _searing_ hot against his skin, and he cried out and put his hand over it- the pain radiated straight through his hand up his arm, up his neck, up the side of his face to his temple- and then there was _blinding_ pain in his right eye, and he clapped his hand to it and fell to his knees with a sharp cry.

Aether swirled around him, hot and bright and _powerful,_ and he grit his teeth through the pain and responded, weaving his own throughout and praying to Menphina with _everything_ he had that this would _work, _let this _work-!_

… and as quickly as it began, it vanished, and Yhen’a slumped forward. The only sound in the room was his harsh panting, and then G’raha knelt in front of him and braced his shoulders. “Yhen’a?” he asked worriedly. “Yhen’a-!”

Yhen’a blinked his eyes open. The pain was gone, at least, though the memory of it made him tremble, and he slowly lifted his head and looked at G’raha. The Seeker gasped and rocked backwards, and Yhen’a feared that either it had gone horribly wrong and he’d been burned as badly as it felt like he had been, or that it had _worked_ and he’d been burned regardless- all of those thoughts swirled in his mind for only a second’s time, because when he lifted his hand to the cord the pendant had been on, he found it empty. “Wh-where-?” he managed. “Where did it-?”

G’raha was looking at him with a mix of horror and fear in his eyes, but slowly, _slowly,_ he began to relax. “Well,” he breathed, “I, ah, I didn’t expect…” He trailed off and bit his lip.

“_What?_” Yhen’a demanded, lifting a hand to his face. He didn’t _feel_ anything strange, at least not at first… but when he ran his fingertips over his temple, he realized where the leaf had vanished to. He rose and looked around quickly, then rushed to the doorway and peered into the reflective surface. “Gods,” he managed, _thoroughly_ stunned. The leaf had splintered and fused with his skin, and his eye as well, sending facets of blue throughout the silver he’d been born with. He could see- at least, sort of, he realized, his sight was blurry- but his other eye was the same ruby red as G’raha’s. He turned back, lips parted in shock. “Did it work?”

“W-well, part of it did,” G’raha managed. “Your eye is red, after all, but the other…” He trailed off and looked up at the tree, then grit his teeth and looked back at Yhen’a. “No, this… this is all wrong-! … but, wait,” he breathed, and Yhen’a didn’t even bother to ask him what he meant. He put a hand to his chest and closed his eyes, then smiled softly. “Ah, do you feel it? Do you feel-?”

Yhen’a bit his lip. He _did_ feel different, he realized, and the more he focused on it, the clearer it became. “It feels like _you,_” he breathed. It felt like the beat of G’raha’s heart in his chest, like his own breath filling the Seeker’s lungs- an undeniable bond, _unbreakable._ “It _worked,_ Raha!”

“It worked,” G’raha managed, and then both of them burst into tears all over again and held on to one another as tightly as they could.

When they calmed, Yhen’a drew back and wiped at his eyes, then looked at G’raha in vague wonder. “I can barely believe it,” he finally said. “I don’t… I don’t have to leave you, but- if I’m bound to you, will I even be able to return to the Source at all?”

“Yes,” G’raha replied, nodding quickly. “My circumstances are far different from yours. You won’t be weary in my absence, nor will you be stuck here. I can’t return because I am already there, and though things have diverged for us, the young historian in the Tower and I do share the same soul. … at least, so far as I know. With this having worked, I don’t know how willing I am to prod further at things at the moment. I am… ah, Yhen’a, I can’t put into words how _glad_ I am for you, for _this…_” He trailed off, then leaned against him and let out a slow, shaky breath. “I suppose we both will have a great deal of explaining to do,” he mumbled.

Yhen’a chuckled softly. “Well,” he pointed out, “I did tell Alphinaud that I was going to give you the ring, so- I think there will be one among the crowd who won’t be surprised, at least. I suppose this isn’t too different, is it?” He reached up and touched his temple again, still somewhat surprised that the pain had simply _vanished._

“I suppose not,” G’raha breathed. He paused a second, then smiled and kissed him. “Try it, though. Take yourself to the Source, and then return not to the Crystarium but _here,_ to my side. You should need no help from me at all.”

Yhen’a hesitated. “But…” He trailed off, then steeled himself and nodded. He was afraid, yes, but not for himself- for G’raha, and what this might have done to _him._ He pulled his love close and kissed him fiercely, then grinned at him. “All right. I’ll be right back, then.”

Gathering the aether was as easy as anything, and the Tower fell away from him as he focused on the Source. He landed in the Syrcus Trench and looked up at the Tower, then blinked and lifted a hand to his face before touching the crystal hesitantly. There was far too much he’d have to ask, and surely G’raha didn’t need his protection, sleeping inside as he was, but… it gave him a measure of comfort to know that he could always be _certain_ that the Tower was well. It felt a little different, but no less welcoming for it, and he smiled to himself and hummed softly before gathering the aether once more, this time focusing on _home._

When he landed back in the exact same spot he’d left from, G’raha visibly sagged in relief, then laughed helplessly and embraced him. “We are _reckless,_” he managed to say through gales of laughter. “It _worked!_”

Yhen’a held him tight, laughing as well, and he buried his face in red-white hair and struggled to keep himself from sobbing all over again. “This is all I wanted,” he managed, his voice breaking. “_You_ are all I wanted…” G’raha drew back and kissed him, and the two stayed right where they were, just like that, for a long while.

Finally, G’raha drew back and rested their foreheads together briefly before taking his hands and squeezing them. “Come,” he said softly. “Let us return to our chambers. I want to make certain your eye is all right, and, well… we’ll have to figure out how to explain this to the others.”

“What’s to explain?” Yhen’a asked softly, walking away from the tree hand in hand with the love of his life. “We’ve been as good as wed from the day we spent in the chapel, haven’t we? The rest is all symbolic. You wear the ring I made you, and I… well- I suppose my gifts from you are a bit more startling, visually.” He winced just a bit and glanced at him. “Do I look odd, Raha-?”

“No,” G’raha said immediately, shaking his head. “No, not at all, you are as beautiful as you always were! I just, ah… I didn’t expect the crystal to…” He sighed and rubbed his forehead, then smiled at him and shook his head. “You look beautiful, Yhen’a. I don’t think there’s anything that will ever make me believe otherwise.”

Upon returning to their chambers and finding himself promptly pushed into the washroom, Yhen’a sat obediently on the edge of the tub as G’raha examined his face. He noticed that it tingled a bit when G’raha touched the shards with his right hand, and he wrinkled his nose in surprise. The Seeker jerked back, worried, and Yhen’a smiled sheepishly. “It doesn’t hurt. … it feels… I suppose it feels like when you stroke my hair or rub my ears.”

G’raha hummed softly and smiled, then kissed him on the nose. “Well,” he said, “I don’t sense anything amiss with your aether, nor do I sense any of the Tower’s within you. When I saw what the shard had done, I feared… gods, I feared the worst, that I had doomed you to _this,_ but- it seems that all is well. Azeyma preserve…”

Yhen’a chuckled softly and smiled warmly at him. “Has it sunk in that you’re stuck with me for _far _longer than you’d bargained for?” he asked teasingly.

“Ah… not yet, but…” G’raha paused, then smiled brilliantly and drew him up, pressed close to him and nudged their noses together. “… when I think of the future, now… it’s so much brighter than I ever dared dream- I am _so_ lucky… far more than I deserve, perhaps, especially now.”

“Hmm…” Yhen’a paused, then grinned mischievously. “If you ask me, I think you’ve gotten _just_ what you deserve.”

G’raha’s eyes widened, then he laughed merrily and hugged Yhen’a tight- and Yhen’a hugged him back, tail swishing back and forth in sheer joy.

There would never be a better Starlight than this, he figured, but- who knew? They’d have so many more than he’d ever imagined, maybe he _would_ find a way to top this one… but until then, he was content to allow this to be, beyond a doubt, the very best day of his life.


End file.
